


So Much More Than Nothing

by Negovanstein



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - Fandom
Genre: Canon Lesbian Character, Canon Lesbian Relationship, F/F, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Lesbian Vampires, POV Lesbian Character, Useless Lesbians
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:08:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 37,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22237636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Negovanstein/pseuds/Negovanstein
Summary: Over seven billion people in the world and you picked me.
Relationships: Carmilla & Laura (Carmilla), Carmilla/Laura (Carmilla), Laura Hollis & Carmilla Karnstein, Laura Hollis/Carmilla Karnstein
Comments: 26
Kudos: 92





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please visit our merch store!  
> http://tee.pub/lic/KkQfNWGSbfU

*Ding. Ding*  
Laura's notifications sounded off on her laptop. Two Twitter notifications.  
C_Karnstein followed you  
C_Karnstein liked your profile photo  
Laura was used to random people liking her posts. She'd been on Twitter for several weeks at this point and people had started communicating with her already. She got tons of followers from her rant on transgender and non-binary rights. She didn't expect such a large following in just a short time. 300 followers and counting. So many different faces to meet. New people to talk to.  
*Ding. Ding.  
Laura chose to ignore it, sure it was just a new follower, she didn't have to check her computer for every new follower. She appreciated them. But nobody acknowledged every single follower...did they?  
Do they? Am I going about this all wrong?  
She was clearly new to this.  
*Ding. Ding. *  
*Ding. Ding. *  
*Ding. Ding. Ding. *  
*Ding. *  
*Ding. *  
*Ding. *  
*Ding. *  
"Holy Hufflepuff! How many people are adding me?"  
Laura picked up her laptop from the mattress and paused the movie she'd been watching to clear her notifications. She didn't even delete the first one. She was floored. Every notification was from the same person. They'd liked nearly every tweet Laura had posted since she made her Twitter.  
Am I being stalked? Is this what stalking feels like?  
Unsure of what to do, Laura chose to do what she was sure any curious person would do. She stalked their profile. Their profile picture was only black curls and the corner of an open book, nothing in the description but 'life is arbitrary'.  
Someone's optimistic.  
There was barely a tweet. Just retweets of starry nights and some not-so-positive life quotes. There was the occasional concert date. Nothing to give Laura any insight into why this user chose to stalk her Twitter. So, Laura chose to get answers a different way.  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: Are you stalking me?  
It was read almost immediately. Laura almost didn't have time to register what she'd just done. She contacted a stranger! That goes against at least 3 rules her father had raised her to abide by...4 if she counted-.  
C_Karnstein: Well, that's quite a way to make an introduction, Cutie.  
C_Karnstein: Why would I be stalking you?  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: You liked a lot of my tweets. I think that qualifies as stalking.  
C_Karnstein: Maybe I just like what you have to say.  
C_Karnstein: Though I could do without the Hermione Granger quotes.  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: You liked those quotes...  
C_Karnstein: Only the ones that were worth liking. Sorry, cutie, I don't watch much HP.  
C_Karnstein: And by that, I mean 'none'.  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: All her quotes are worth liking!  
C_Karnstein: Would you rather I go back and like them all then?...  
C_Karnstein: Lighten up, Creampuff. I'm only teasing. I'm sure her power does not go un-praised.  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: What's with the nicknames? I have a name.  
C_Karnstein: Really now? I never would've known. Seeing as you never gave it to me.  
C_Karnstein: What's your name, cutie?  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: What's yours?  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: You stalked me, it's only fair I get first dibs.  
C_Karnstein: Dibs? Lol what is this? First grade?  
C_Karnstein: Tell you what...  
C_Karnstein: You give me your number; I give you my name. It's only common courtesy. Give and receive...  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: This is a joke, right? I'm not even supposed to be tweeting you! My dad would kill me if he knew I was on social media!  
C_Karnstein: Daddy's girl, huh? How old are you? 16?  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: I'm 19!  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: Why does that matter anyway?  
C_Karnstein: Just making sure I don't go to jail for seducing daddy's little girl. The popular idea that age is just a number should remain an idea.  
C_Karnstein: Speaking of numbers...  
C_Karnstein: Yours?  
Before Laura could type a response, she heard her father downstairs, making his way inside the house. She scurried to hit play on her movie again and lay a notebook on her bed to look like she was studying. Her fingers shook as she rushed to think of a response to the request. They'd only just started talking and she didn't know anything about this person except they were a massive flirt. How long had they even been direct messaging each other? She checked the time in the corner of her screen. An hour? She sat there for an hour?  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: My dad's home. I don't think that's a good idea.  
C_Karnstein: Wanna know my name or not, cutie?  
Heavy footsteps moved around the lower level of her house, heading for the stairs. She tried quickly to decide. Her curiosity was getting the best of her. If this wasn't a stalker, who was it; and, what was their name? Boots began to make their way up the stairs.  
C_Karnstein: Better hurry, Creampuff. Don't want daddy dearest to catch you.  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: ***-***-***  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: Gotta go!  
Just as she closed her laptop, her father stepped into her doorway.  
"Hey, kiddo. How was class today? Did you finish your homework?" He smiled at her, a tired smile. The buttons of his police uniform already unbuttoned to reveal the white t-shirt underneath. A beer hung loosely between 2 of his fingers. No different from any other day for Sherman Hollis.  
"It was good. I had a good day. Just finished my homework." Laura shrugged with a bright smile back to her father.  
"Good. I'll be downstairs watching the news. Dinner's in the oven waiting for you." Sherman nodded his head once before heading back down for his favorite recliner.  
Laura breathed a sigh of relief; glad she'd managed to hide her computer quick enough.  
*Ding. *  
Her phone lit up with a new text. Laura felt an exciting chill run through her body. She never gets texts- unless they're from her dad or appointment notifications. Her professors liked texting better than emailing. (Which is why Sherman preferred female professors. So did Laura.) So, it was obvious who this was even before she opened it.  
Unknown: Now that wasn't so bad, was it?  
Laura: You suck. Now pay up. Name. Now.  
Unknown: You don't waste time do you, cutie?  
Laura: I'm waiting...  
Unknown: Lol...Carmilla  
Laura: I like it. I'm Laura.  
Laura: You're a girl, right? Or do you not prefer to be called that?  
Laura: I feel like I'm going about this all wrong.  
Laura: I hope that wasn't offensive. I'm not very good at socializing. At least, I think I'm not...  
Laura: Let me start again.  
Laura: What are your pronouns? If you don't mind my asking...  
This girl was annoying, teeth-grounding annoying. But everyone deserves to be addressed the way they preferred. Laura didn't want to be rude or insensitive. It was only common courtesy.  
Carmilla: ...You aren't straight, are you? lol  
Laura: No...  
Carmilla: Good. Neither am I.  
Carmilla: And, yes. I'm a girl, cutie.  
Laura: I told you my name already. You can stop calling me that.  
Carmilla: Maybe I don't want to.  
Laura: Has anyone ever told you you're annoying?  
Carmilla: Has anyone ever told you you're cute?  
Laura: No, actually.  
Carmilla: Hey, Laura?  
Laura: Yeah?  
Carmilla: You're cute.  
Carmilla: Problem solved.  
Laura: ...  
Carmilla: Oh? Nothing to say? Don't tell me you're speechless already, cupcake. I just started.  
Laura: More pet names. How wonderful.  
Carmilla: There's more where that came from, cutie.  
Laura: Remember when I said you were annoying?  
Carmilla: Remember when I said you were cute?  
Laura: Shut up.  
Carmilla: Oh, am I gonna have some fun with you...  
Laura: What do you mean?  
Carmilla: Buckle up, Creampuff. It's gonna be a long night.  
What did I just get myself into?


	2. 2

Laura huffed for what felt like the hundredth time in the past hour. She was finishing an assignment in the library, after alerting her father that she would be home an hour later than usual, and she kept getting distracted. Her phone was vibrating every few minutes with a new message. Every time it vibrated, she huffed. And then she smiled, rolled her eyes, and continued her assignment. And then she huffed again.  
She didn't have much to do. It wasn't hard. But the constant texts were more tempting. Nevertheless, Laura waited until she'd written the final line to pick up her phone.  
*12 new messages*  
She chuckled as she read through the content and text a response.  
Laura: Is this what you meant by fun?  
Carmilla: ??  
Laura: Texting me "hey, cutie" 12 times. That's a new level of annoyance in just 24 hours. I thought your consistent need to call me an edible was as good as it got.  
Carmilla: I only sent it once, cutie. Must've been a glitch  
Carmilla: And, for the record, I'm far better in person ;)  
Laura blushed, packing all her things in her backpack and leaving the building for her car. Her phone buzzed again, but Laura just left it in her bag as she dug around for her keys. Besides, she wouldn't know what to say anyway. She didn't have anything as graphic to say in return. Silence was good until a subject change came about.  
Finally, she found her keys and opened her car door. Now she just had to find her phone again.  
Honestly, Hollis, you could've just put it in your pocket.  
Pulling it from her bag, she plugged it into her aux cord and instantly swiped over to Spotify. Demi Lovato blast out through the speakers as she buckled her seat belt. She decided to check her messages before driving off. She didn't need the distraction on the road.  
Carmilla: What are you even doing?  
Carmilla: Oh? Feeling brave, Cupcake?  
Laura frowned. What the heck was Carmilla talking about?  
Laura: ??  
Carmilla: You called me  
Carmilla: I wouldn't object to the company, Cupcake, but I didn't take you for much of a quick draw  
A groan was drowned out by Demi's vocals as Laura's head banged against the steering wheel. She had to apologize to a passerby for scaring her dog when she accidentally pushed the horn.  
Laura: My phone was in my bag. Something must've hit it. I'm sorry  
Carmilla: Don't be sorry  
Carmilla: I should be the one apologizing  
Laura: Why?  
Carmilla: For not answering the call of a pretty girl  
Laura rolled her eyes, fighting the blush working its way up her cheeks. She pulled off without answering, letting her music distract her instead. It didn't take long for Laura to make it home. Her father's cop car wasn't in the driveway. He must've had another late shift. She went inside, grabbing a cookie from the cookie jar and placing the keys in their place on the kitchen counter.  
Her phone vibrated again.  
Carmilla: Wow, Cupcake. You do suck at socializing. I thought I was supposed to be the aloof one here.  
Laura: Shush! I was driving home from school!  
Carmilla: School, huh? What school?  
Laura: Centennial College  
Carmilla: In Toronto?  
Laura: Yeah. You know it?  
Carmilla: I visited the campus my freshman year just for fun on a trip.  
Laura: What school do you attend?  
Laura found herself upstairs laying across her bed with no idea how she got there. When did she walk upstairs?  
Carmilla: Manne's School of Music in New York  
Laura: You're a music major? That's cool! I'm a journalism major  
Carmilla: So that's where the curiosity comes from. Figures  
Carmilla: Correction. I'm a music specialist major with a minor in art  
Laura: That’s a lot  
Carmilla: Did I mention that I'm double majored? Guitar and vocal  
Carmilla: And I can play piano. Keyboard. Pretty good at drums  
Laura...I can play 'Love Bites' on regular. Guitar Hero: Live level 10  
Carmilla: Nice try, cutie. I can play it perfectly on electric and guitar hero. Level 22. You know what that means, right?  
Laura: You're a musical genius with a thing for showing off?  
Carmilla: Well...yes. But, no  
Carmilla: It means I'm good with my hands.  
Laura threw her phone to the side and buried her face against her pillow as she let the wave of heat roll its way through her body and crash to her face. She grabbed her phone again, pushing blonde hair out of her face.  
Laura: You know what...Stop it.  
Carmilla: What? I know what I'm doing. That's something to be proud of.  
Carmilla: It's not my fault you took a left turn.  
Laura: Did I take a left turn, or did you lead me to a one-way street?  
Carmilla: At least you know that I'm the lead.  
Laura: ...It's only been one day! Aren't people supposed to wait at least a week before they make dirty jokes?  
Carmilla: You don't talk to many people, do you?  
Laura: You'd be the first  
Carmilla: Really?  
Laura: Yeah...  
She wasn't kidding. She never had a real friend, a best friend. No one she could have sleepovers with. No one to tell secrets to. No one to feel a connection to. She only had her father. And, this, she expressed to Carmilla.  
Carmilla: Wow. You start off with me...very bad taste already Cupcake  
Carmilla: No pressure or anything on my part at all  
Carmilla: You said you only had your dad. What about your mom?  
Laura stared at the question for a second. It was the first time in years that anybody asked her about her mother. It was easy to forget that not everyone knew. That this town wasn't all to the world.  
Laura: She left when I was 7. She went to the store one day and just never came back.  
Carmilla: Is she alive?  
Laura: IDK. Nobody's heard from her since.  
Carmilla: I'm so sorry, Laura.  
Laura: It's okay. I kinda got over it a long time ago  
Suddenly, Carmilla saying her real name didn't appeal to her anymore. She missed the cute pet names. Laura was too serious. Too formal.  
Carmilla: My mother was very demanding. Verbally abusive at times. But it wasn't bad. My father was non-existent. I never met him.  
Laura: Your mother...you said was.  
Carmilla: Yeah. We don't talk anymore  
Carmilla: She's in prison for embezzlement. Our relationship wasn't one, so I didn't keep in touch.  
Laura: We are learning a lot about each other in such a short time.  
Carmilla: You're easy to open up to. Which says something because I open up to no one this soon, cutie.  
Laura: I don't open up to anyone  
Carmilla: You don't have friends?  
Laura: No.  
Carmilla: I'm becoming a lot of firsts here, cupcake. I should be flattered  
She was starting to feel embarrassed. She was probably the only 19-year-old on the planet who only had one person. Their parent.  
Carmilla: Well, you do now.  
Carmilla: Have a friend  
Laura: Really?  
Carmilla: Ig  
Carmilla: You know, so long as you promise not to fall in love with me lol  
Laura: I can guarantee it  
Carmilla: It'd be the biggest mistake of your life  
Laura: Somehow, I don't believe you  
Carmilla: You're cute  
Carmilla: Gotta go, cupcake. Practice. hmu later  
Laura: Bye, Carm!  
Carmilla: That may just grow on me  
Laura: It better cause I'm not changing it.  
Carmilla: Adorable  
Carm: See you, cutie.  
Maybe not just one person anymore.  
******** Carmilla's POV  
"Waiting for something?"  
Carmilla looked up from her phone to her friend watching her with a smirk on their face. Lafontaine was always giving her shit at practice. It never failed. She just rolled her eyes and tucked the phone in her back pocket.  
"What are you talking about, Laf?" She snarked, pulling her guitar strap around her neck.  
"You were smiling. You. Smiling. At your phone. You don't smile. You smirk." They snickered, adjusting the lighting towards the drums. "Who is she?"  
"Mind your business and do your job." Carmilla focused on tuning her guitar. By the time she looked up again, Lafontaine was just waiting. She sighed, pinching her nose. "She's just some girl I met on Twitter! No big deal."  
"Sure, seems like a big deal."  
"It's only been one day." Carmilla pulled her hair up into a bun, high fiving the drummer as he walked by to his setup.  
"And, yet, you're smiling." Lafontaine smirked, placing Carmilla's microphone in her ear before taking their place backstage.  
Whatever. She's just some girl.  
**********  
...............  
8:15 a.m.  
Laura: Good morning, Carm!  
Laura: Did you sleep okay?  
Carm: Laura, it is 8 a.m. I shouldn't be up right now  
Laura: Don't you have class or something?  
Carm: Not for 3 hours. Good-bye  
Laura: Caaaarrrrrmmmmmm!!!!!  
***********  
Carmilla groaned, rolling over, refusing to answer Laura's messages. Her door flew open, Lafontaine running in and bouncing down on her bed.  
"Ah! Why did I give you a key?" She yelled, throwing a pillow over her head.  
"Because someone has to get you up or you'd sleep the day away." Lafontaine pulled a pop tart out of their pocket, opening it and popping it into their mouth.  
"That's what introverts do. Now go away." Carmilla grunted, pulling the blankets closer to her face.  
"No. Get up, Karnstein. We have a practice and I have to meet Perry for your soundcheck." Laf pulled the black comforter away from Carmilla, throwing it across the room. If they didn't, it would be a fight. This is how they've been getting Carmilla up for years.  
Carmilla groaned again, finally standing to her feet. She stretched, popping her back and neck as she did.  
"Between you and Laura, I'm never going to get any sleep." She made her way for the bathroom.  
"Ah, so she has a name. Is she cute?" Laf followed.  
"I'm not having this conversation right now." Carmilla slammed the door shut.  
"We will talk about this later! Hurry up! We'll miss donuts and coffee if you're not-"  
"Ahhhhhhh!!!!!" Carmilla banged a hang against the door.  
She came out in black joggers, a white V-neck, and a red plaid jacket wrapped around her waist. Her hair was brushed. Her face was clean. She wasn't even in there 5 minutes.  
"How the hell do you do that?" Lafontaine frowned. They'd been friends for 3 years and they still couldn't figure out how Carmilla got dressed so fast. It took them at least an hour to comb their hair. If you blinked once watching Carmilla get dressed, you'd miss her. Fucking vampire.  
"Concentration. Let's go." She growled.  
"Do you want your phone so you can text Laura." They sing-songed the girl's name.  
Carmilla grabbed her phone from the charger, smiling at the thought of talking to Laura later. Luckily, Lafontaine couldn't see past her black hair or else she'd hear about it for the next 2 hours. She grabbed her guitar and her songbook, dragging Laf out of her apartment and locking the door.  
***********  
11:30 a.m.  
Laura: Got out early!  
Laura: Going on a cookie run!  
Carm: You're going to be sick eating sweets so early in the morning  
Carm: I'm proud. Continue.  
Laura: Is this your way of making me sick?  
Carm: Oh, you're doing that all on your own  
Laura: Shut up  
Laura: Am I interrupting your practice?  
Carm: No  
"Karnstein, get plugged up and let's go!" Laf called from center stage.  
Carm: Alright, maybe.  
Carm: Gimme 2 hours cutie  
Laura: Sure, no problem  
Laura: cutie  
Carm: Yeah, cause that's attractive  
Laura: Worth a shot  
"Who is she?" Perry, Laf's girlfriend, nodded to Carmilla as she adjusted the volumes of the mics.   
"Some girl." Carmilla shrugged, smiling at Laura's last message. "A cute girl."  
"Oh? Do you like her?" Perry grabbed her coffee cup, smiling behind it.  
Carmilla only shrugged again. It was too early to tell. She wouldn't be sure. "We all know what happened the last time I liked someone. Really would rather not relive that."  
"Yeah, but there's no way Laura is anything like Elle." Laf pulled a donut from a box the floor. "Hell, she's probably better."  
"If she makes Carmilla smile like that, she must be. Even Elle couldn't do that." Perry dabbed at Laf's lip with a napkin. "As long as she's clean."  
"Clean? As long as she's hot! And has a brain! She's interested in you, so that would cancel one of those." Lafontaine breathed their donut rather than chew it. What other way was there to eat a donut?  
"I can still punch you, Laf." Carmilla scoffed.  
"Or you can kiss Laura."  
"Sorry, can't hear you over my shreds!" Carmilla's fingers attacked the strings of her guitar to drown out her best friends' taunts. The last thing she wanted was their jokes this early in the morning when she'd much rather be sleeping. Though, kissing a cute girl didn't sound too bad either. At least, she thinks Laura is cute. She never really saw a photo of the girl before. What would Laura Hollis look like?  
We'll see.


	3. 3

It had been two weeks. Two weeks of Laura texting at ungodly hours of the morning with annoying optimism. Two weeks of Carmilla reciprocating by texting Laura after 10 p.m. with the dirtiest things that came to mind. How the two could take each other, neither knew. But, they could. And they didn't notice. Not at first.  
Not after it became routine. Mornings got interrupted; and, suddenly, mornings became a highlight. Nights were disturbed; and, suddenly, a full night's sleep was no longer an importance. One was awake to catch that first message, one stayed awake to endure the last ones. Some things were far more important.  
Carm: What are you doing right now, Creampuff?  
Laura: What I'm always doing. In my room.  
Carm: Care for some company?  
Laura: What do you mean?  
Laura: Is this another of your creepy sexy texts?  
Carm: Well, I have a new piece I'm working on and nobody to listen  
Carm: Besides, I'd finally like to see the face behind the annoying 8 a.m. wakeup call  
Laura: Like a Skype call?  
Carm: So, they're sexy, are they?  
Laura: Shut up  
Carm: No, a telegram  
Carm: Yes, Hollis. A Skype call. You in?  
Laura: I'd have to download the app  
Laura:... Okay, make an account because it just sits on my laptop doing nothing  
Carm: Then hurry up! I'm not getting any younger  
Laura began to nervously enter information into her computer. It was all so nerve-racking. She had never Skyped a stranger before. She never Skyped anyone before. What would Carmilla look like? What would she sound like? Would she like Laura? What would talk about?? What could she say?  
Laura: Okay. All done.  
Carm: Took you long enough  
Carm: Did you give yourself another Doctor Who username?  
Laura: No! I don't just like Doctor Who, you know!  
Carm: Which Hogwarts house is it?  
Carm: Hufflepuff or Gryffindor?  
Laura: ...Neither  
Carm: Snape/Ron or Hermione/Ginny?  
Laura: You are unbelievable  
Carm: It's Snape/Ron isn't it?  
Laura: Maybe  
Laura: HOW'D YOU KNOW?!  
Carm: You shared the link to your fanfic on Twitter  
Carm: Spaz  
Carm: Adding you  
Not five seconds after Laura got the notification, a call was started. BlackAssThePit is calling you. Laura's heart leaped. Her fingers shook as she answered. And, when she answered, she was floored.  
Carmilla was gorgeous. Pale skin. A jawline that could cut down unemployment rates by half. Lips that were shaped perfectly. Beautiful, black, curly hair. And those eyebrows! Eyebrows like that deserve an award. A Grammy. A presidency. A country.  
Her lips curled on the edges as a sneaky glint hit Carmilla's eye. Laura was so stuck in her eyes that she didn't catch what she was saying.  
Oh, crap! Carmilla was talking!  
Quickly, Laura shoved her earbuds into her ears and pressed the mute button on her computer.  
"Sorry about that. What did you say?" She squeaked.  
"It's unfair that only one of us has the pleasure of a visual. Turn on your camera." The most sultry, captivating voice filled Laura's ears. She could ride a wave of Carmilla's voice for a lifetime. She'd do whatever it took for Carmilla to never stop talking. Like finding the camera button.  
"Whoops. Sorry."  
Carmilla sighed with another smirk. "You really are a spaz."  
Laura grunted a response as she searched for the camera. Finding it, she pressed it and watched herself appear onscreen.  
"How's that?" She asked.  
"Fuck, Laura..." Carmilla's eyes widened, "You're beautiful."  
If the sweet, innocent voice didn't sway Carmilla, that face sure did. Laura was adorable. Laura was radiant. Laura was blonde. Totally unexpected. But, beautiful. Doe-y brown eyes with every bit of innocence as her voice. Carmilla couldn't decide which was more innocent. Laura's face was so childlike, and still so mature. Who was this girl?  
"Thank you." Laura blushed, ducking her head, hiding her cheeks behind her hair. Wanting to disappear but holding on to the one good reason to stay.  
She couldn't resist looking at Carmilla. The way the girl held herself, so strong and confident. It was intimidating. Challenging. Inviting. Her eyes were so captivating, but mysterious. There was something hidden there that Laura couldn't quite place. Fear? Anger? Betrayal? Maybe. Maybe not. But there was more. Then, there was that damn smirk. Did she do that often?  
"Cupcake, you're staring." Carmilla chuckle. Not that she could complain. She was doing it too.  
That voice. Laura had almost forgotten about it. Almost. Not even a stranger on the street could forget such music. It would haunt the back of your mind forever. Like a lost soul.  
"Please don't stop talking..."  
If she could throw herself down the stairs right now, that would be more pleasurable than this moment. Here she was with the most gorgeous creature ever to walk the face of the Earth, and she was embarrassing herself. The most gorgeous creature who found this humorous, another smirk on her perfect face.  
"Flattering. But, if I don't stop talking, how will I sing?" Carmilla pulled an acoustic guitar over her shoulder.  
Laura was taken aback. Looking at Carmilla, acoustic wasn't exactly first choice. "I wasn't expecting something so light."  
"Would you prefer ear-splitting metal rock in those pretty little ears of yours?" Carmilla adjusted the strap to better position herself. "I'm trying to decide on songs for an upcoming concert in a few weeks. I can either do this or something more jump worthy. We need a few more for a set."  
"Okay. Let me hear it!" Laura bounce on her bed in excitement, resting her hands against her chin to show her attention was strictly on Carm.  
Gods, she's adorable.  
Soft chords began to fill her senses as Carmilla began to strum at her guitar. As she began to sing, Laura closed her eyes. Carmilla's voice was so well-trained, toned, angelic, and enticing. The words and the tempo were so familiar; but Laura couldn't think of what song this was. By the time she finally remembered, it was right on time for the chorus; and, she couldn't help but sing along.  
Just walk away, Renee  
You won't see me follow you back home  
The empty sidewalks on my block are not the same  
You're not blame  
Carmilla stopped playing, gawking into screen, impressed. She was expecting a private concert, not a duet. A beautiful, impromptu duet. Laura's voice was amazing. Some training was probably necessary if ever a professional career was thought of; but she could see the raw talent. Could hear it. Feel it. This would probably become one of her favorite sounds in the world.  
"Nicely done, Creampuff. I'd recruit you for the band if you were here to actually practice." Carmilla replaced her acoustic guitar with an electric. "I'll try not to blow out your ear drums."  
Laura didn't have to think too hard about the song Carm was playing this time. It was one of her favorites. As Carmilla played, she just danced around where she sat.  
Jealousy, turning saints into the sea  
Swimming through sick lullabies  
Choking on your alibis  
But it's just the price I pay  
Destiny is calling me  
Open up my eager eyes  
Cause I'm Mr. Brightside  
Rather than play the rest of the song, Carmilla opted to play the song out at the chorus. It amazed Laura how versatile Carmilla was. And she did it with confidence. She liked that.  
"There's one more." Carmilla prepared to start the last song.  
"Do you have originals?" Laura interrupted before the first note.  
"Tons. We just mix it up sometimes." Carmilla shrugged, starting before Laura could intercede again.  
Laura was thrown, not a clue what song this was. She didn't care. As long as Carmilla kept singing. She was really into it.  
No matter where you are  
The stars are all the same  
They flicker by the moon  
They never rearrange  
When your heart is aching  
To be close to mine  
Just call me on the phone  
And look up at the sky  
Look up at the sky  
Carmilla played out, absentmindedly getting into her performance, hair whipping around in her outro. She ran a hand through her black curls as she awaited Laura's decision. Laura had to take a minute to collect before answering.  
"Every song was amazing. It seems that your band has a time-inclusive set list; so, why not do all 3?" She concluded.  
"A 9-song concert? Way to work me, Hollis." Carmilla snickered, placing her instrument back in its place.  
"Well, someone ought to, shouldn't they?" Laura quipped.  
Carmilla arched an eyebrow, challenging Laura. "Did you just get smart with me? You? Little Miss Sunshine?"  
"I have my moments." Laura folded her arms with a huff.  
"That bunched up face you make when you're angry is adorable, Buttercup." Carmilla winked.  
"Is not." Laura mumbled.  
"Oh, really?"  
The next ten minutes were spent with Carmilla trying to make Laura as flustered as possible, throwing in a dirty joke any chance she got. Laura would've been pink and huffy in no time had she not stubbornly been fighting Carmilla's antics.  
"Fine, Cupcake. Be that way. Though, I'm the one that should be angry." Carmilla leaned back in her chair, folding her own arms.  
"Why should you be angry?" Laura grumbled.  
"You. You offer to work a woman and aren't even here to do the deed. That's teasing, Cupcake."  
Laura's facade dropped immediately. Her face was completely red. Carmilla could barely contain the laughter bubbling inside her chest. But she managed to keep herself together with the enjoyment of teasing the tiny blonde on her screen. If she could make this go on forever, she would.  
"Well, well, well..."  
"Shut up, Carmilla." Laura covered her face with a pillow.  
This was too much fun. Carmilla couldn't think of what else could be this entertaining. Aside from her music, this probably was the best thing she'd done in a while. Laura was adorable. She was smart. She was so much more than Carmilla had experienced in such a short amount of time.  
"You make me smile, Laura." She confessed. It was so new to her. So uncharted. So honest.  
"Because I find more ways to embarrass myself? Laugh it up, Karnstein." Laura pushed herself back to a sitting position, balancing her head on the pillow now stuffed into her lap.  
"No. Because you're...you. Nobody makes me smile, Laura. Nobody." That was the second time Carmilla used Laura's name. Why now?  
"Carm?"  
"Yes?"  
"Where is this going?"  
"This conversation? Hopefully to a nice strip tease. But I'll keep my hopes to a minimum." Carmilla joked, marveling at the new wave of blush on Laura's cheeks.  
"No! This! Us! We're...flirting. Is this flirting? Am I flirting? -"  
"Hey, cool it there, Sunshine. I'd like to keep you in one piece." The brunette swept a stray strand out of her face. "I don't know where this is going, Cutie; but I wouldn't mind it going a little bit farther. However, I wouldn't be me if I didn't do it the right way."  
"What do you mean?" Laura's nose scrunched in confusion.  
"Laura, will you go on a date with me?"  
Carmilla wasn't being playful or joking. She was serious. Her eyes were locked on Laura's, completely empty of humor or any gross sexual innuendos. She was just anxiously waiting Laura's response. Inside she was nervous Laura would reject her, wondering why she cared so much. Laura was just supposed to be some girl. But she was starting to be so much more than that.  
"Carm..." Laura struggled with what words to say, "I'm not a normal type of girl. I've never done this before. -"  
"Clearly." Carmilla nodded.  
"-And I have never interacted with anyone the way I have with you. Or, much at all. Not since high school anyway. And, back then, I had a very crappy experience and I'm not so sure if I know what I'm doing."  
"You don't learn how to date someone by practicing, Laura. You learn with who you are." Carmilla smiled softly. "Look, I'm not the best at it either, okay? I'm not exactly the girl you'd want to bring home to family. Bring home for a night of undeniable passion? Maybe. I've had my own terrible relationship. I'm not sure that I know what I'm doing. If I did, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been the one heartbroken."  
Laura just listened. She let Carmilla say what she needed, knowing there was more than she was giving her. Just as well, Laura had done the same. They just needed to know that someone was there. The details could wait for another time.  
"You didn't deserve that."  
"How do you know?"  
"I just do. You don't deserve to be heartbroken or confused or in pain. You deserve someone who can be there for you. I just hope I can be that person."  
Carmilla's smile grew a little bigger. "Who knows, Laura. You just might be."  
"But you deserve so much more..." Laura frowned. Could someone like her really be what Carmilla needed? Could she keep all the promises she was willing to make for Carmilla? Would it be worth it?  
"You are so much more." There was a promise in her words. A promise of potential trust. Laura was different. Even with little to no knowledge, she was more than Carmilla could've thought to have. More than she could deserve. It was selfish of her to hold on to someone so smooth and polished and shiny. But she'd just be a trophy to somebody else, just a prize. And Laura Hollis was far more than just a trinket.  
"So, say you'll go out with me."  
"You didn't say 'please'." Laura smirked.  
Carmilla rolled her eyes. This girl was going to give her so much trouble. "For fuck's sake. Please, Laura."  
The brightest smile Carmilla ever saw radiated Laura's face. A sunrise was nothing compared to her. "Yes. I'd love to."  
And if nothing else was worth it, this moment- for the both of them- was more than anything else.


	4. 4

C_Karnstein: Hey, Cupcake, gimme your address  
Carmilla had gone two weeks asking Laura questions about her favorite things. Favorite flowers and foods and movies. Favorite colors and TV shows and genres. She asked so many questions that Laura was shocked she hadn't run out of them. It would dodge between texts and phone calls. And today, the day of the date, it was Twitter. Carmilla was going to give Laura whiplash someday.  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: ...Why did you not just text me instead of using Twitter?  
C_Karnstein: Because I'm on my computer! Now gimme the address!!  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: But WHY?!  
C_Karnstein: BECAUSE. I. NEED. IT.  
C_Karnstein: Come on! you're going to ruin it!  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: Fine!  
Laura reluctantly typed in her address, unable to contain the grin taking over her face. Curious as to why Carmilla wanted her address so badly. They lived way too far apart, and it was far too soon for either of them to be making surprise visits. She wasn't so sure her father would be happy about a stranger appearing on their front porch. Laura wasn't so sure she'd be happy about it either.  
Except, it was Carmilla.  
C_Karnstein: Thanks, cutie  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: You want to tell me why you needed my address?  
NearlyHeadlessHufflepuff: And why you couldn't just text my phone like a normal person  
C_Karnstein: Nope  
This girl was a headache. Laura just rolled her eyes and propped her feet up on the couch as she binged Lost Girl for the hundredth time. No matter how many times she saw it, Doccubus just pulled her in more and more.  
"Honestly, how could anyone not see the love between those two? All respect to Dyson and Tamsin, but Lauren." Sherman spoke up from his spot in his favorite recliner.  
"Finally! Someone that understands!" Laura fist bumped her father.  
He was just as much into Lost Girl as Laura was. He was also into Doctor Who and Wynonna Earp. Laura had easily gotten him into Buffy the Vampire Slayer; and, he was already a Veronica Mars fan. He really connected with the father. How many people could say that their father had a guy crush on Doc Holiday, David Tenant, and Vex? It was unheard of!  
"I mean, just look at Dyson! He's heartless!" Sherman slapped his own knee as he threw popcorn in his mouth with a loud laugh. "Get it, Laura! He's heartless!"  
Carm: Okay. All done.  
Carm: What are you doing? Watching more how-to lesbian sex videos?  
Laura blushed; glad the couch arm was keeping her father oblivious to the conversation forming on his daughter's phone.  
"Ha. Yeah. Funny, Dad." She responded absentmindedly.  
Laura: Stevie has very informative content!  
Laura: And no! I'm watching Lost Girl with my dad  
Carm: Aw...and here I thought you were preparing to show me what you'd learned.  
Carm: Gotta admit. I'm a little disappointed Cupcake  
Laura gasped, nearly dropping her phone on the floor. She couldn't have this conversation in front of her father. Even if he didn't know what was going on.  
"Uh, Dad, I'm just gonna go in my room." She began to make a bee line for the stairs.  
"Fine. Go talk to your girlfriend. I don't care. I'll watch more Doccubus for both of us." Sherman grumbled, stuffing his mouth with more popcorn.  
She froze mid-step, mouth agape as she faced her dad. He was just neutral. No shock or anger. Just popcorn.  
"How did you know about her?"  
"I know the password to your laptop." Sherman stood from his seat with his bowl to get more popcorn. "Or at least I did until you changed it."  
Laura couldn't answer him. Of course, he had the password to her laptop. This was the Sheriff Sherman Hollis.  
"I want you to know that I'm-"  
"I am so sorry, Dad! I was going to tell you! I just didn't know how and-"  
"-happy about this." Sherman chuckled, throwing a popcorn kernel at his daughter. It bopped her nose before disappearing somewhere on the floor. "Go and talk to your girlfriend. I have to get more popcorn before I miss the good parts!"  
Laura smiled, heading back up the stairs. A thought made her pause once again. "Dad? You know she's not my girlfriend, right?"  
"Not yet." Sherman winked, disappearing into the kitchen.  
Her phone began to vibrate, indicating a call. Laura scurried to her room and shut the door before answering, not even checking to see who it was before she picked up.  
"Well, well, well. Maybe you were too busy practicing to text me back, cutie." That familiar sultry tone caused Laura to let her body fall flat against the pillows on her bed.  
"Is this how you're always going to say 'hello'?" She sighed. "If I were practicing, you'd know."  
"Honestly, all this teasing is going nowhere without action. You're going to cause serious damage to my imagination. And I do wonders with my imagination. Care to hear?" Carmilla replied, her voice like velvet in Laura's ears.  
"Are you-? Are you trying to have phone sex right now? Really? We haven't even had our date yet!" Laura could feel her body shaking at the idea of it all. Carmilla was taking her on a world wind much too quickly. But she didn't want to stop it at all.  
"Who said we had to be traditional?" Carmilla purred.  
"Uh, you did? When you asked me on the date!"  
"I lied." The brunette chuckled darkly, everything coming out more like pulsing music than words. "Can I take you on an adventure, Laura?"  
Every time she said Laura's name, it made the tiny girl shiver. Something about the way she made the word sound more like an honor than a name caused Laura's heart to thrash. Now she was asking consent for something Laura had never encountered before, and it was all the more a danger to her heart than anything else.  
"H-have y-you ever done this be-before?" Laura ran a hand through her hair, hoping to release some of the nervousness from her body. Didn't work.  
"Fuck, it's hot when you stutter..."  
She could die right here.  
"No. Nobody else. Just you." Her breath was raspy and shallow. Like she was holding on and it was becoming all too much. Like she'd worn herself out. "Can I Laura?"  
Her fingertips felt like they were smoldering electricity as she closed her eyes and took deep breaths before replying.  
"Okay."  
As much as it scared her, her curiosity got the best of her and she craved to know what this felt like with someone else. Maybe it wasn't ideal because they were so far apart. But it was a start to anything more that could possibly happen if their locations were closer. It was a step forward.   
As Carmilla's moans and curse words reverberated through the phone like the most beautiful of melodies, Laura had to bite her lip to contain herself. Her body forced itself into a rigid position as it ached for the exact same pleasure being created on the other side of the connection. It yearned for the touch. Whatever Carmilla was doing, Laura wanted it. She shut her eyes to concentrate on ignoring the heat overtaking her core.  
"Laura." Her name in her ears- with that voice- made her fingers jerk involuntarily. "Don't...hold...back. Show me what you learned."  
*ding*  
Dad: Going to meet some of the guys for lunch.  
She could hear her father's car back out of the driveway and disappear down the road only subtly as the sounds in her ears were taking most of her attention. She wanted to give in. What harm could it do? No one could see her.  
"Let me hear you, Laura..."  
Unable to hold herself together, she let her hand wonder past the waistband of her shorts, starting herself off at a comfortable pace. Her own enjoyment began to clash with Carmilla's as her speed increased. They grew louder and louder together as Laura began to let go until there was nothing left to hold on to.  
"Come with me."  
In a rush of heat, passion, and energy, they both crashed in a duet of ecstasy.  
It was silent besides the decreasing of deep breaths and heavy sighs. Both girls lay and listened to the other began to calm down, shocked by their actions.  
"Well, our first date is going to be interesting." Laura sighed one last time as her heart calmed to a reasonable rate.  
Carmilla laughed, smothering her face in her pillow to hide the noise.  
Everything was different here. They gave each other a comfort they didn't have before. A trust. A bond. Enough that they could join together in a moment of vulnerability and get past the nerves and the qualms and the unease to a place of content and pleasure and conjugation.  
"I hope we do this more often." She smiled; happy her curiosity got her something good for once.  
"Sweetheart, I can guarantee it." Carm held her pillow close, nestling her face against it like the kitten she was. "Want to take a nap before our date tonight?"  
Laura moaned a response as her eyelids grew heavier. "A nap sounds wonderful."  
A/N: Yes, I know it's all short and so not traditional or fluffy! But it's all I could think of and who says I can't mix it up!  
Let me know if you guys are liking this! I'm trying something knew here! Don't forget to comment and like and share because we love seeing more of you! Thanks!  
-A


	5. 5

Carmilla fluffed her hair for the fifth time, doing her best to find the perfect angle. Her favorite black ripped skinny jeans hugged her lower half, while her red plaid button-up covered the black spaghetti strap top underneath. Her sleeves were rolled up to the elbows and hung open, leaving her torso exposed. Gayness achieved. At least it would be if she could just get her damn hair right.  
"Got a hot date tonight?" Lafontaine leaned against the bathroom door frame. They'd been there awhile, just watching their friend prep herself in pure Carmilla fashion. Normal girls huffed and fixed their make up in a flurry; Carmilla did the huffing part, but she occasionally threatened her reflection if something wasn't right. As of right now, Laf just relished in the look of Carmilla's face as she thread her fingers through black locks.  
Their comment startled the angry brunette enough that her hand jerked, and she pulled a hand full of her hair. She let out a soft grunt, rolling her eyes and returning to her project.  
"What do you want, Ginger Nerd? I have-. Wait!" Carmilla smirked as she slowly pulled her hand out of her hair, attaining the swoop she'd spent 15 minutes working towards. "I got it! You are good for more than just pressing buttons."  
Lafontaine feigned offense. "Uh, I make sure you and your fancy little guitar don't wipe out on stage and fall on your ass."  
"Whatever." Carmilla chuckled. She knows Laf knows they're highly appreciated. Carmilla wouldn't be giving them crap if she didn't. "What do you want, Laf?"  
"Nothing. I have to need something to come visit my best-"  
"Which hat do you want to borrow this time?" Carmilla crossed her arms knowingly. The only time Laf used the "best friend" card is when they want something, generally Carmilla's clothes. Mainly her hats.  
"...the snapback with the glow in the dark dots."  
"Of course, you want that one!" Carmilla pushed past her friend in the direction of her closet.  
"I can't help it. The little designs remind me of my experiments."  
Carmilla chucked the hat at the science nerd and flipped them off.  
"Thanks, Fang-Face." Laf put the hat on backwards and bowed playfully.  
Before she could make a snarky response, Carmilla's laptop began to ring, letting her know that Laura was Skype messaging her.  
"Alright, R2D2, time to go." Carmilla positioned her laptop on the desk. The empty desk that she never used because...well, she didn't want to. What was she going to do? Homework?  
"Aw, yes, because that's exactly what I want to do, watch you make goo goo eyes at your girlfriend." Laf shook their head and turned for the exit.  
Carmilla ignored them, pressing the call button and sliding her rolling chair over and positioning herself. And repositioning herself. And then again, trying to find the perfect angle before Laura answered. She managed to find it just as the ringing stopped. Her hands on the bottom cushion, legs spread slightly, leaning forward.  
"Hey." She heard that quiet, angelic voice exit her computer. But the angel it was coming from wasn't there.  
Carmilla chuckled. "Turn on your camera, you spaz."  
"Whoops." There was the sound of the button being forcibly smashed on the keyboard, and her face appeared. "Is that better?"  
It was quiet on both ends of the call. Laura was waiting for Carmilla to respond, but all she saw was Carmilla's face glued to the camera. She was starting to wonder if maybe her computer froze. In reality, Carmilla was waiting for her heart to respond.  
"Woah! She is beautiful! No wonder you don't shut up about her!"  
Lafontaine had planted themselves behind Carmilla and, upon seeing Laura, scared Carmilla to death. The broody girl nearly slipped out of her chair. Quickly, she grabbed them by their forearm and shoved in the direction of the door.  
"Leave!"  
"Ah, come on! You can let me stay! Make room!"  
"NO!" Carmilla growled as Laf sprinted out before they caught a boot in the back of the head.  
Carmilla sighed deeply, turning back to face a smirking Laura. "Shut it, Cupcake."  
"Sorry," Laura chuckled. "Maybe it's just nice to know how much you talk about me."  
"I don't." Carmilla crossed her arms again, her face burning.  
Laura deflated a little. "Oh."  
This girl was much too cute.  
Carmilla smiled. "You heard them, Cutie. I don't shut up about you."  
"Really?" The blonde started to perk up.  
"Well, they could be exaggerating just a bit; but, yeah." She rolled her eyes playfully. It felt weird to do this, be open about her feelings again. It was kind of nice.  
They just blushed at one another like idiots for a while. Neither minded this silence. They enjoyed just being in the other's presence.  
"Hey, Carm?" Laura started playing with her fingernails.  
"Yeah?"  
"Why'd you get so quiet earlier? When I turned on my camera? Was something wrong?"  
"Yes, something was wrong." Carmilla chuckled again, sitting up a little. How many times would this happen? What was this girl doing to her? "My heart stopped beating."  
"What? Are you okay? Do you need a doctor? What's the number to 911 where you are?" Laura reached for her phone to dial the hospital, when she realized there was nothing she could've done in another country. Made her sad a little bit.  
"I'm fine, cutie. That tends to be an occurrence whenever I see your face..." Carmilla winked at the smaller girl.  
Laura gawked into the camera, blinking herself back into reality. Who was this girl? "Shut up, Carm."  
The older of the 2 just smiled in response. She could admit that her words were cheesy and corny and all around just plain sickening; but how could she not be? Laura made her want to recite every cheesy line she'd ever heard, and then create her own so she could keep that red shade on the small girl's face.  
She sat there and stared at Laura. She just wanted to study her. She wanted to remember the shape of her eyes, her lips, her nose. The structure of her jawline. How many freckles she had on her face. Where the blush started and where it stopped. She just watched her until Laura cleared her throat, still that bright shade of red. Carmilla snapped out of it, still sporting her grin.  
"Shall we get this date on the road?" She asked. "Did you get my package?"  
"No. I never..."  
"Laura, there's mail for you!" Sherman called from downstairs.  
Laura gave Carmilla a look that nearly made her burst into hysterics. What the heck had she done?  
"Carmilla Karnstein!" Laura shrieked.  
Carmilla had to laugh now. The poor girl looked so distraught. There was no telling what was in the box waiting for her downstairs. Graphic magazines. Lacy outfits. Sex toys...What if her father opened it and there were unmentionable things in it? Unmentionable unmentionables...  
Laura pounced off her bed, tipping her laptop on its side in the process- which only made Carmilla laugh even harder.  
"Carm!"  
"Watch it, Cupcake. I'm having flashbacks of the last time you screamed my name."  
How she wished she could smack Carmilla right now.  
"I'm going downstairs to grab this mystery package. If you say anything else inappropriate before I get back, I'll have you hearing the end tone before you can say 'quidditch'." Laura dashed for her door.  
"Quidditch!" Carmilla called out.  
The tiny girl groaned loudly. Seriously, this girl was going to give her all kinds of trouble.  
"Say it real slow!" She ran downstairs and snatched the box out of her father's hands.  
"Hey, now! Wait a minute! What's in there?" He frowned.  
"Um...it's a surprise." She teetered back up the stairs. Technically, she didn't lie.  
"A Christmas surprise? Like something for the both of us?" His eyes lit up with excitement.  
"...sure?" She nodded quickly. How dare she lie to her father like this! But what was she supposed to do; say, 'I don't know? This beautiful girl online sent it to me. You know, a stranger that I technically shouldn't be accepting gifts from? Yup. That's the one.'?  
"Oh! Oh! I want first dibs!" He reached for the box, pouting when it was pulled out of his reach.  
"No!"  
"Why not?"  
Laura sighed, shaking her head at her father in mock disappointment. "Have you learned nothing about sharing?"  
With that, she tore for her room, closing the door and locking it before Sherman decided to be stubborn and come pry the mystery box out of her fingers like the child he was. He was probably whining and grabbing a cheer up beer right now. Catching her breath, she noticed Carmilla looking at her intently. Silently.  
"You didn't say quidditch slowly." She breathed.  
"I didn't say it at all." Carmilla grinned. "Open the box. Let's get on with it."  
"Can you say 'please'?" Laura sat "crisscross apple sauce" on her bed with the box in the center.  
"I don't say 'please'." Carmilla rolled her eyes.  
"Hmmph. That's not what you said earlier..."Laura mumbled as she put her earbuds back in.  
"What was that?" Carmilla smirked devilishly, an open smirk. Her tongue rested against her bottom lip, a tooth threatening to graze it.  
"N-nothing. Just opening my box..."She blushed once she realized what she just said. Stupid foot in the mouth. Story of her life. "Shut up."  
Removing the tape was harder than she thought, but she managed with a little help from a couple pencil tips. Finally, she tore open the cardboard and removed the cover.  
"Carm..."  
"Well," Carmilla nodded towards her. "Aren't you going to try it on?"  
15 minutes later  
"Are you going to keep me waiting all night, cutie?" Carmilla whined playfully.  
"I'm just getting into it! It's too big!" Laura complained off camera. "Ha! I got it!"  
The laptop shook slightly as it was moved to a new location. Carmilla had already set herself up and was ready before Laura. A feat.  
Laura plopped down on the floor, grinning like a kid.  
"Hey, it fits." Carmilla snickered. "Now we match."  
Laura just shook her head, still amazed at the gift. "I don't think that's how it works, but I don't even care. I can't believe you did this."  
Both were sitting in their own 2-person tent with stars glued to the roof and light bulbs cascading the sides. The blue obtuse triangle took up nearly all the space in the empty corner of Laura's room. Carmilla's center space was pretty much nonexistent.  
"Yeah, I know. That's why it's called a surprise. See, this way we can go stargazing without anyone interrupting us." Carmilla replied, grabbing a popcorn bowl and stuffing her mouth. "So, are you gonna press play now or what?"  
Laura had also placed her TV on the floor, same as Carmilla, and they decided to show Carmilla the weeping angels’ episode to introduce her to Doctor Who.  
"Ready?" Laura grabbed her own popcorn, another gift of Carmilla's.  
"Let's go."  
..............  
"So, what'd you think?" Laura placed the empty bowl on the floor, the screen now paused on the credits.  
".... Damn those angels."


	6. 6

"Are you really that upset about the Weeping Angels, Carm?" Laura giggled, balancing her popcorn bowl on her knee as she laughed at the raven-haired girl on her screen.  
"Yes! Are you kidding me? Those things caused Amy and Rory to-"  
Laura thought she could rant. Now she understood what Carmilla and her father found adorable about it. The way Carmilla was raving and swatting her hands about was nothing short of the word. She went on and on about how creepy the Weeping Angels were- how there was no exact way of defeating them unless you keep direct contact and blow them up. Though she wasn't sure if grenades would be effective against them. Maybe something much worse. 'Maybe a nice bazooka' Laura suggested. Who would care about anyone committing angel genocide anyway? They were destructive and completely uncalled for- like Donald Trump. Just less known and, technically, not alive. Any angel destroyed could easily be replaced by stone that doesn't move. As if anyone is going to believe that after seeing a friggin' angel.  
"I just don't understand how these are your favorite villains in this show, Cupcake. I really don't. Especially since Amy is your favorite companion and they do that to her!" Carmilla sighed, exasperated.  
"How do you know what my favorite things are? Have you ever asked me?" Laura crossed her arms in mock offense.  
"I don't have to. I do listen, Cutie. Besides, am I wrong?" Carmilla gave her a half smile.  
"I'm not telling you. This isn't a game of 20 questions." Laura stuck her tongue out at her.  
"It can be." Carmilla replied. Upon seeing Laura's shocked reaction, she rolled her eyes. "If there's an opportunity to prove you wrong and learn more about you, I would like to take it."  
"Aw, Carm!"  
"Yeah, yeah! Shut it, half-pint, and answer the question before you get all sappy." Carmilla smiled.  
Laura sputtered, sitting up in disbelief, the cutest deer-in-headlights look Carmilla had ever seen plastered on her face. "You got sappy first!"  
"We gonna play or what, Creampuff?" Carmilla ran a hand through her curls with another smile, successfully dodging the accusation.  
"Laura rolled her eyes but smirked back and played along. "Yes. Amy and Rose."  
"Why?" Carmilla asked.  
"They're both sassy. Plus, they impacted The Doctor in a way that I don't think each companion could. I mean, of course each companion impacts The Doctor majorly; I just think not as much as Amy and Rose."  
"Why?"  
"They loved him. Not just loved him. They were in love with him. I don't think the others loved him that way. Not like those two; well, except Riversong- who is also a favorite, but she isn't a companion, so it doesn't count." Laura disappeared into her head for a moment, remembering how she felt whenever Amy or Rose expressed or showed affection for The Doctor. Wanting something like that out of life. Someone that felt that way for her.  
Carmilla nodded, satisfied with her answer, making a mental note of it. She switched gears before she lost Laura for the night to her thoughts. "Who's your favorite Doctor?"  
"Oh, definitely, the 10th and 11th Doctor. David Tenant and Matt Smith played two of the best Doctors of this generation, in my opinion~ Plus, they are incredibly adorable! In a boy way..." Laura blushed.  
"In a what way?" Carmilla scoffed. "You know it's okay if you have an attraction to men, right? To anyone for that matter. Bisexuality is beautiful. Gay is gorgeous. Trans is tantalizing. Lesbian is luscious. Pansexuality is pretty. Asexuality is adorable. Sexual orientation shouldn't be embarrassing or judged. Be who you are. It's called love, not a label, Cupcake."  
"Oh, no! I agree wholeheartedly! To Azkaban with the lack of support to different parts of the community! It's one big family and we all matter! I'm just saying that I think they're cute, but I'm not attracted to them in that way..." Laura explained, wishing she had a pride flag to wave around.  
"I'm just giving you crap, Cutie. Calm down." Carmilla chuckled. "I would ask you about your favorite snack, but there's simply no need."  
"You do not know my favorite-"  
"Cookies." She deadpanned.  
"...Okay. But you don't know my favorite-"  
"Chocolate chip."  
"Well, what about the-"  
"Chips Ahoy. The blue packet because the red isn't as authentic to you. I can do this all night, Creampuff." Carmilla snickered.  
"How do you know that?" Laura snapped playfully, but curiously.  
"I do observe, watch, and listen, Cupcake. It's called paying attention. I could go on if you want." Carmilla shrugged.  
"If you think you can..." Laura challenged. So much for 20 questions.  
She wasn't used to this, someone knowing more about her other than her father. He was the only one who could probably beat Laura herself at answering questions about herself. Seeing as he was the only person on the planet that interacted with her, it wasn't a shock. Now, Carmilla was suggesting that she could step up to the plate. Laura wanted to see if she could really pull it off. How much could Carmilla possibly know about her?  
"Sometimes you cock your head to the left when you're lost in thought. You are extremely easy to fluster. But that's an obvious observation. Your favorite movie is D.E.BS although you haven't seen it in several years. Your favorite song right now is Dancing's Not A Crime. You even dance to it in the bathroom when you're showering. You let that one slip all on your own.  
"When you sleep, sometimes you snuggle your pillow and pretend that it's one of your favorite actresses. Right now, it's Emma Watson. You are in love with the Harry Potter series- obviously. Not to mention Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Doctor Who, and Wynonna Earp. I don't blame you for Wynonna Earp. You also have a boner for Shania Twain. Don't even get me started on your obsession with Twilight....or Brenden Urie. You have a love for Bella's character, but you love Alice too. You even wanted them together more than you wanted Bella and Edward. You also admire the side of Emmett's face. The left side because the right is too cliché.  
When you're sad, you sit on your bed with your headphones on full power as you play Dodie Clark on repeat. And you have said on separate occasions that I should listen to her music as well. Secret for the Mad is a favorite of yours, but Party Tattoos is your top. Though you aren't impartial to Absolutely Smitten, 6/10 or Would You Be So Kind. Hole in My Tooth is a secret love of yours, though why it's a secret is beyond me. Her music lets you have a moment to sit in your feelings and process before you dance yourself out of that mood.  
"You had a mole on your side until your dad got scared and had it removed when you were 15. Your left eye got pinched on the old trampoline in your backyard after you flopped a flip; so, your dad got rid of it. The highest number of cookies you can fit in your mouth is 22, which is impressive. Oh, and sometimes you talk while you're sleeping. There was one where you were dreaming you were using a -"  
"Alright! I get it!" Laura blushed a deep crimson red. "You listen to me. And, I agree. You should listen to Dodie. She's adorable."  
"Who says I haven't?" Carmilla quirked an eyebrow with her signature smirk.  
"You haven't." Laura deadpanned.  
Carmilla sighed and stood, disappearing out of sight. She should've expected Laura's focus to shift so quickly. She completely sidetracked the fact that Carmilla retained so much information.  
"Carm?"  
"Hold on, Cupcake. " She reappeared with a ukulele in tow. "Ready?"  
"For what?" Laura tilted her heads in confusion.  
What can't she play? Banjos?  
Carmilla's fingers strummed a familiar tune that nearly made Laura start to dance  
Oh, Fat Friar! She didn't!  
I have a question  
It might seem strange  
How are your lungs?  
Are they in pain?  
(yes.)  
Cause mine are aching  
Think I know why  
I kind of like it though  
You want to try?  
(Yes.)  
Oh, would you be  
So, kind  
As to fall in love with me, you see  
I'm trying  
I know you know that I like you  
But that's not enough  
So, if you will  
Please fall in love  
I think it's only fair  
There's gotta be some butterflies somewhere  
Wanna share?  
(Please?)  
Cause I like you  
But that's not enough  
So, if you will  
Please fall in love with me  
Laura's heart was beating out of control. Her smile brought more light to her room than the stars twinkling around her head; and she couldn't help but sing along as Carmilla kept going. It was Dodie! How could she not?  
Let's write a story  
Be in my book  
You've got to journey on my page  
At least take a look  
Oh, where are your manners?  
You need some time?  
Let's swap chests today  
That might help you decide.  
As they sang the chorus together, both could hear the music coming out of this moment. Not just the song they were singing, but the one they were starting. Two hearts forming a duet. Two becoming one.  
Oh, do me a favor  
Can your heart rate rise a little?  
Do me a favor  
Can your heart rate rise a little?  
Oh, do me a favor  
Can your heart rate rise a little?  
Do me a favor  
Can your heart rate rise a little?  
Oh, would you be  
So, kind  
As to fall in love with me, you see  
I'm trying  
I know you know that I like you  
But that's not enough  
So, if you will  
Please fall in love  
I think it's only fair  
There's gotta be some butterflies somewhere (wanna share?)  
Cause I like you  
But that's not enough  
So, if you will  
Please fall in love  
Oh, I like you  
But that's not enough  
So, if you will  
Please fall in love with me...  
They took a moment to catch a breath. Carmilla was basking in how many times she'd proven Laura wrong. Laura was still in shock that Carmilla actually learned that song for her. She'd probably use it in her shows now. How many ways would this girl take her breath away? Could she do the same?"  
"Will you be my girlfriend, Carm?"  
"...Laura...I... Absolutely." Carmilla bit her lip. "But, can I take some time to grasp what this means?"  
"Of course." Laura was beaming. She has a girlfriend. Her. Hollis. Laura Hollis. Girlfriend extraordinaire.  
High five, me.  
Wait. I have a girlfriend. I don't know how to have a girlfriend. Do I feed her? Pet her? Give her compliments and treats? Get her yearly shots?...  
Calm down, Hollis. She's not a dog. Think human...OH, my Ravenclaw's Diadem. Do I have to kiss her? Holy crap. I get to kiss her. How does this work long distance?  
"You need sleep, Cupcake. You're blanking." Carmilla chuckled.  
"Probably so...Goodnight, Carm. I loved our date."  
"Goodnight, Cutie. Let's do it again soon." Carmilla winked before hanging up.  
Goodnight, girlfriend.  
Laura's my girlfriend...Oh, shit.


	7. 7

"Well, did you tell Laura about Ell?"  
"No."  
"Did you tell her about the thing?"  
"No."  
"Did you tell her about anything?"  
"That would be why every answer was 'no'."  
Carmilla had spent the first moments of band practice being heckled by Lafontaine after letting it slip that Laura was now her girlfriend on the walk over. They'd gotten the attention of the new drummer, who wasn't so new. Carmilla had known him for a while. They'd butted heads a couple times, though she could never remember his name. Wilhelm? He wasn't the only one that was interested in the new development in Carmilla's love life. Lafontaine's trainee was just as interested.  
"Well, what are you scared of? Thought you were all vampirilla and non-fearing, all-threatening?" She smirked.  
"Shut it before I dye your hair blonde, Lawrence!" Carmilla growled into her mic for the mic check.  
"Danny, why don't you go check on Kirsch on the sound bar?" Laf pat her shoulder as she glowered in disbelief and disrespect.  
"Yeah, your lack of testosterone boyfriend. Maybe you can feed him his bean burrito and rub his belly like a good pup." Carmilla played a chord on her guitar.  
"Hey! Rude! I have, like, epic biceps, bro! Tell her, D-Bear!" Kirsch yelled into his mic from backstage.  
"I'm sure the ladies over at your weekly Pilates class are very proud of your accomplishments." Carmilla snickered.  
"I go to Pilates once a month, thank you! I can get in touch with my sexy lady parts! Oops! Sorry, D-Bear! I mean my sensitive side." Kirsch came bounding around the corner, smiling sheepishly at his girlfriend.  
"Oh? Is that where you get your man boobs from?"  
"I DO NOT HAVE-"  
"Hey! At least he can admit to doing something that is publicly embarrassing for him. You can't even have an honest conversation with your own girlfriend about why you're afraid to be her girlfriend!" Danny took Kirsch's hand to calm him down.  
"I'm not afraid of anything!" Carmilla snarled.  
"Then tell her, Fang Face! If you care about that girl at all, you'd tell her the truth." Danny backed away towards backstage. "Come on, Kirsch."  
"Do I really have man boobs? C-Dog was just pulling my chain again right, babe?" He whined.  
"I swear, the friendship you two have is unbelievable..."  
Carmilla stood in silence, annoyed at how right Danny was. Laura deserved to know. Laura was becoming more than normal. She couldn't lose that. She shook off the thought for now, prompting the drums to start the songs.  
..............  
"You're kind of quiet." Laura acknowledged, eyeing Carmilla warily.  
"I'm not quiet." Carmilla shrugged. "Hear that? That is the sweet sounds of my vibrating vocal cords, Sweetness."  
Laura scoffed, folding her arms. "Okay, now I know something's up."  
"Let it go, Laura."  
"No. What's with you? Spit it out." Laura held her own. "Tell me."  
Carmilla sighed, taking in Laura's body language. The little crab cake wasn't going to let in. "The guys kind of gave me hell at practice today. Well-deserved hell."  
"About what?" Laura lowered her arms, concerned.  
"About you..."  
A silence fell as both girls just watched one another. Carmilla was afraid of what Laura would think of what she was about to say. It wasn't that she feared Laura running, but if she ever would. Laura was wondering what hell Carmilla's friends could give her about Laura.  
"What about me?" She voiced her concern.  
Carmilla adjusted her position in her chair. "I haven't told you a big thing about myself; that big thing makes me apprehensive about being your girlfriend."  
Laura's mind started going all over the place. Her hands began to quiver, along with her bottom lip. Any negative thought she could create, she did.  
"Oh my gosh...you don't like me."  
"What? Laura, hold on." Carmilla's face contorted to horror.  
"Is it because I never really had any friends?"  
"Laura, come on! I wouldn't-"  
"Or because I like a lot of nerdy things and I wear a lot of animal print? Is that it?"  
"No! I like your nerdy-"  
"Oh my gosh! IT'S BECAUSE I'M BLONDE, ISN'T IT?"  
"Technically honey blonde doesn't count towards that stereotype, so-"  
"Is it-"  
"Laura! Will you please relax and shut up for one second? I like you! Okay?" Carmilla nearly grabbed her computer screen and pretended it was Laura's head.  
"You do?" Laura sniffled.  
"My God, Laura. Yes." Carmilla sighed with a laugh.  
"But I wasn't done." Laura wiped a hand over her eyes before any tears could fall. "I had at least 8 more reasons why you don't like me."  
"So, you would've told 8 more lies. Cupcake, I really do like you. It isn't that." She ruffled her hair.  
"Then, what?" Laura frowned, more confused than before. "An ex or something?"  
"Yeah, actually..." She sighed again.  
Laura nodded, finally understanding. "The girl that hurt you."  
"Yeah...Everyone thinks you should know what happened; and, I agree. I just don't think I can properly agree to dating you without you knowing about Ell."  
"Okay." Laura prepared herself for the worst. "So, what happened?"  
"I met Elleana in my freshman year. She was a vocalist on the campus choir. It was just a scholarship requirement, she didn't enjoy it; and, I didn't give it the time of day. I didn't pay her any attention, I didn't know she even existed, until we bumped into one another at a frat party. She was wasted and I was unaware of just how out she was until we were on the dance floor. Her body language read desire and she had no problem hiding it. So, because I wanted to enjoy this- as it was my first college party- I drank with her until I could barely keep myself standing. The last thing I remember is stumbling around campus with her, giggling at nothing in particular. I woke up the next morning in her bed in an apartment she rented off campus. I tried to sneak out, but she woke up before I could grab my clothes. She asked me to stay. She looked so innocent, like last night was a release. So, I did. I stayed the whole day with her. I lost my virginity to her that night. After that, we started dating. It was great. We would go to movies on campus together and have dinner. She would wait for me in the quad after practice so we could get coffee together. Things felt wonderful. At first..."  
Laura listened with nothing but curiosity on her mind.   
"Well, she would drink uncontrollably. Most times I would see Ell she would be drunk off her ass. I thought she was just having a good time after class because of how hard everything was. We would have sex several times a week, multiple times in a day on weekends. She'd ask me to drink with her, and I would refuse on days that I couldn't afford to be screwed before a concert. So, she would drink alone. I found out she was taking alcohol to class in bottles. She would sneak off after her choir practices to get drunk. It started to affect her schoolwork, along with mine; but I was able to maintain myself. I can't say the same for Ell. Her scholarship was revoked. Her parents wouldn't pay for her to continue after they found out what she was doing. They wanted to get her help, but she refused. She had a month left in her apartment to make a decision..."  
Carmilla's tone changed. Her eyes grew sad. Soft. Hurting. Her fingers clawed at her body as she continued on.  
"My mother was on the board here. She came not long after I was accepted, didn't want to be in a position where she wasn't in some control of me, I imagine. My mother and I had an understanding that I was allowed to go to school in whatever major I decided so long as I didn't indulge in my...temptations."  
"What?" Laura questioned. Carmilla just looked at her, giving her a second to catch on. "Oh. OH!"  
"Yeah. Those temptations. Mother found out about Ell and me. I was unaware of it at first. I figured I was being smart, keeping us a secret aside from my most trusted friends. She formed a private meeting between her and Elleana, where she offered to pay Ell's tuition, along with room and board, if Ell continued to be who Ell was...and Ell agreed. The drinking got worse as the weeks and months went on. Her attitude got worse. All she wanted to do was drink and have sex. I told her I wasn't going to have sex with her again until she got better.   
"It was too late for me to realize it, but I had fallen for her. Way before I knew how intense the drinking had become. Way before the scholarship was revoked. Way before all of it. So, it was too late to protect my feelings when I went to visit and found Ell in bed with another someone else...not just one. One was a girl from campus, she worked in the campus computer lab; the other was my own mother.  
"I was broken. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't report it to the board because my mother had so much weigh in. Nothing would've been done. I simply walked out of Ell's apartment and tried to go on with my life. Not too long after, my mother and Ell were both arrested for embezzlement. Any money she had that was from my father- whom, again, I've never met- that was particularly for me and my sister was separated and placed in an account where we were to split it evenly. All her money, money that was legally and illegally primarily hers, was erased. She went to jail with nothing. Ell just the same. They won't be about for a few more years. By the time they do, hopefully I will be gone.  
"I felt pain after I saw Ell in that light. I never felt such hurt. It made me not want to date anyone else. I didn't want to experience that form of mistrust again. So, I hid myself away in one-night stands and, when that became too much way too soon, I threw myself into the band and never looked back. You were the first person to make me want to look for happiness again, Laura. I'm just afraid that I'll lose it."  
She could hear the rustle of the leaves as the branches of her tree scratched her bedroom window. She could hear the whiz of her computer as it ran. She could hear her neighbor's dog barking as it was allowed its nightly run around of the backyard. And she could still hear Carmilla's every word reverberating in her head. And it made her angry. It made her wish she could show both women a thing or two about what it was like to hurt someone.   
"WHY THAT MOTHER-  
"WOAH!"  
"-DRIED UP, SAGGY-"  
"LAURA!"  
"-WENCH OF A WOMAN MASQUERADING AS A-"  
"Don't get yourself all-"  
"SADISTIC, NARCISSISTIC PIECE OF-"  
"Okay!"  
"You didn't deserve any of that! Your mother and that...that...raging b-...bad person should be taught how to treat people with decency and respect! Why I'd like to-."  
"Laura Eileen Hollis, did I just hear you using some rather extreme profanities in here! This is a Christian house!" Sherman came barging into his daughter's room with a hoagie in hand, waving it around like a baton.  
"Dad...nothing in this house is Christian. You only go to church on Christmas and Easter." Laura huffed.   
"That-. That's not important! Why are you yelling about with those extremities?" He took a bite out of his hoagie. "I tauft wu befer dan tat!"  
"Wow. Now I see where you get it from." Carmilla smirked, happy for the distraction.  
"Oh, is this your little online girlfriend you have all these squishy feelings for?" His eyes lit up with excitement.  
"Wha-! I-! You-!...My feelings are not squishy." Laura stuck her tongue out at her father, turning back to address Carmilla. "Carm, this is my dad, Sherm-. Oof!"  
Sherman pushed his daughter out of the way, planting himself on Laura's bed in her place as she landed with a quiet thud on the other side. "Sherman Hollis, pleasure to meet you. Listen, can you get her to at least put her phone down until she's done walking into a room? I can't tell you how many times she's ran into the back door trying to text you. I have to buy touch up paint from all the markings."  
"I keep telling the cupcake she's too clumsy for multitasking. Have you seen her cut a finger trying to make a sandwich and reach for cookies with a butter knife.”? Carmilla chuckled.  
"That's nothing! She slammed her finger in the door trying to carry in groceries and yell at me because I said Rose wasn't my favorite Doctor Who companion." Sherman scoffed, taking another bite of his sandwich.  
"Oh, don't get me started on her Doctor Who rants. I can barely keep up with her." Carmilla rolled her eyes, holding back a laughing fit as she watched Laura crawl back into view.  
"We should exchange numbers sometimes. Oh, do you have e-mail? Bebo? MySpace? -"  
"Dad? Dad! No. My Carmilla. Go find your own!" Laura shoved at him until he removed himself from the bed.  
"Fine! Fine! I'll just take my hoagie and haul myself downstairs to watch my shows then. Not like I need companionship or anything..." He edged back towards the door, fake sniffling before closing it shut with a wink. Once he was out, the doorbell rang, and she could hear him barreling down the stairs. "BANANA BERRY SUNDAE!"  
"Your dad's cute." Carmilla smiled. "Like father, like kid, huh?"  
"Shut it. That's not what we were discussing. We were discussing me throwing your mother off the face of the planet since she thinks she's a friggin' god." Laura grumbled, playing with the blanket underneath her fingers.  
"No, we were talking about why I was apprehensive about being your girlfriend. My mother is a dick. This is accurate. But it was Ell that was the subject here." Carmilla spoke softly.  
"Oh, right." Laura nodded. "Listen, Carm, excuse my language but your ex is a bitch. She did not treat you like a decent human being. She didn't treat you with respect or appreciation or value. You deserve better than that. You deserve someone who's going to be happy that you're in their life. Someone who won't try to force you to do dangerous things. Who will actually help you achieve things, not ruin them. You deserve someone who's going to be there for you. -"  
"Are you that person, Laura?" Carmilla got up the courage to ask before the question decided to slither back down her throat in cowardice.  
She blushed, looking down at her comforter, still being contorted at her hands. "I hope so..."   
"Laura?" Carmilla smiled.   
"Yeah, Carm?" Laura looked up.  
"I'm not apprehensive anymore."   
............  
They had long been off Skype. It was 3 in the morning and Laura couldn't sleep. After Carmilla decided to go to bed because of an early morning class, Laura did the unthinkable. She was going to wait until Carmilla was awake to give her the news, but she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep until she got it off her chest. So, she dialed Carmilla's number and waited.  
"Laur?" Carmilla yawned audibly, obviously rolling over. Laura could just imagine that raven hair flipped on her head mid-slumber. "Everything okay?"  
"Yeah...I just...got bored." Laura shrugged, twisting a strand of hair around her finger.  
"You got bore-" Carmilla paused for a second in curiosity. "You got bored at 3: 22 in the morning? Seriously, Laura, what's up?"  
Laura sighed, scared of Carmilla's reaction, but excited she made the decision. "I have to tell you something."  
"Okay, cutie. What is it?" Carmilla focused on Laura's voice instead of the sleep that was threatening to invade her.  
"I did a thing..."   
"What'd you do?" Carmilla's interest was piqued. Whatever it was had to be pretty serious for Laura to still be awake this early in the morning. Maybe in another four hours, but not now.  
"I bought a plane ticket." Laura confessed.  
"You did what?" Carmilla frowned, not sure if she heard correctly.  
"I got a plane ticket." She repeated.  
"You bought a plane ticket? And just where in the world are you planning to go?" She chuckled in disbelief.  
"To you."   
"What?" Now she was awake.  
"I bought a plane ticket, Carm. I'm coming to see you."   
"Wha-? Now?!" She shot up in bed, gripping the sheet for dear life.  
"No...in a month." Laura stumbled over her words. "I know that we haven't known each other long. It feels like it's been forever. I can tell you anything. We talk every day and we know almost everything we can know about one another and I don't want that to be restricted because of space. So, I'm coming to see you. I... I think I love you, Carmilla. I'm not quite sure what that means right now, especially because of what you told me earlier about Ell. And you don't have to say anything right now if you don't want to. But I can't wait any longer without you knowing how you make me feel...and, I... I want to see you-"  
"Laura, Laura! Shut up a second." Carmilla went silent, making Laura's heart beat wild and inconsistent. "You're coming to see me?"  
"Yeah." Laura smiled. "I’m coming to see you"  
"What about your dad? Is he going to let you? How are you even going to get to the airport?" Carmilla started throwing out questions like darts.  
"He doesn't know. I haven't told him yet. I will soon. I'll figure it out. I'll walk to the airport if I have to. I just want to see you." Laura began to smile from ear to ear, excitement buzzing through her body like electricity.  
"I want to see you too, Laur." Carmilla smiled. Genuine. True.   
They sat there. Smiling together. It was a calm, happy silence. The kind that people sit in at dinner or on car rides. That kind of silence. Peace.  
"Well, that's what I wanted to tell you. I should probably let you sleep now." Laura giggled.  
"Cupcake, at this rate, I don't think I could." Carmilla breathed.  
Laura laughed, laying back against her pillow. "Goodnight, Carm."  
"Goodnight, Laura.  
See you soon."


	8. 8

Laura and Carmilla had spent the next few weeks counting down the days until they finally met in person. Laura's bubbling excitement was unwavering. She was so excited in fact that she talked- forced- Carmilla into buying a calendar so they could mark off the days together. Carmilla didn't really mind much. She was just as excited for Laura to arrive as Laura was. She had purchased an air mattress just in case Laura was uncomfortable sharing a bed. All her friends were unaware Laura was coming so soon. They'd been told their meeting was at a later date. Carmilla didn't want to go spewing it out and get her hopes up- or risk turning into a version of her very bubbly girlfriend, who understood her reasoning completely. It was bad enough Laura was all she talked about.  
Ell was a big deal for Carmilla; she changed the way Carmilla looked at relationships for a long time. For a year after, Carmilla let herself feel nothing for another woman but that hot feeling in her stomach that accompanied lust. That left her feeling empty pretty fast. She spent the rest of her sophomore year and the entirety of her junior year focused on her music and fearing letting her heart entrust itself in someone else. Who would've thought that it would try to do so with a beautiful brown-eyed, blonde-haired short journalism major from Toronto, Canada? That is an hour and a half flight- that is exactly a 33-hour drive, 2 days and 6 hours by bus, 205 hours by bike, and 751 hours by foot. She checked.  
You can never be too prepared.  
8:15 a.m.  
MyGirlfriend: My philosophy class is taking forever  
MyGirlfriend: I don't understand anything he's saying!  
MyGirlfriend: Why do I even need this class?  
HerGirlfriend (8:17 a.m.): Philosophy isn't that hard if you really give it a chance, Creampuff  
HerGirlfriend: You're lucky I've had my second cup of coffee or I'd only focus on one message. We've talked about this.  
HerGirlfriend: NO triple texting me before 10 a.m.!  
HerGirlfriend: Now I'm doing it just to annoy you 😊  
MyGirlfriend (8:21 a.m.): You take the class then, since you're so smart!  
MyGirlfriend: 😜👆  
HerGirlfriend (8:23 a.m.): I have. Every year, Cutie  
MyGirlfriend: WHAT?!  
HerGirlfriend: It's one of my majors...  
MyGirlfriend: WHAT?!?!?!?!  
Hergirlfriend: Lol. All caps. You're cute. Gotta go. Class. 😁  
MyGirlfriend: ARGH! YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!  
HerGirlfriend: You're cute when you're angry.  
Hergirlfriend: Bye, Cutie  
MyGirlfriend: Caaarrrmmmm!!!!

*2 hours later*  
Hergirlfriend (10:22 a.m.): You still mad at me, cupcake?  
Hergirlfriend (10:25 a.m.): Silent treatment, huh?  
HerGirlfriend: Not much of a fair play cutie  
HerGirlfriend: You've probably changed my name in your phone too  
AnnoyingGrumpybutt: You're cute  
AnnoyingGrumpybutt (10:31 a.m.): Fine. Silent cuties don't get custom baked cookies when they visit  
MyGirlfriend: COOKIES?!  
AnnoyingGrumpybutt: Oh, hey, Cutie, didn't see you there  
MyGirlfriend: Don't change the subject!  
MyGirlfriend: There will be cookies?  
AnnoyingGrumpybutt: There's a subject?  
MyGirlfriend:....  
MyGirlfriend: Good-bye  
AnnoyingGrumpybutt: LMAO! Oh, come on, Cupcake!

Carmilla cackled as she strode to practice with a cup of coffee in one hand, her phone in the other, and her guitar case strapped to her back. It was obvious that Laura was going to play the silent card unless Carmilla did something to put a little blush on those adorable cheeks o hers. So, she rolled her eyes and slid her finger across the screen and awaited Laura's answer. No matter how angry Laura was, she never ignored Carmilla's call.  
As the ringing stopped, Carmilla nearly choked on a sip of her coffee as she fought down a chortle of laughter. Laura was sitting in the kitchen at the counter in the background, arms crossed, and eyes averted from the camera while her father was right smack against the screen. Nose hairs deep.  
"Well...uh, hello there, Big Boy. May want to back it up a step or two, I'm a little closer to the gold mine than I really would prefer to be." Carmilla addressed him.  
"What did you do to my daughter?" Sherman boomed, loud enough to catch the attention of passersby...in Switzerland.  
"Take it down a notch, Screamo! My ears are part of my money making!"  
"Oop! Sorry!" Finally, the big guy took a step back. "Why does Laura look like you took her cookies away?"  
"Probably because I kind of did." Carmilla smirked, taking a new sip from her paper cup.  
"Huh?" Sherman frowned.   
"The Cupcake was all upset that I didn't tell her I'm triple majored, one in Philosophy- which she is struggling with; so, as punishment for the silent treatment she has so generously gifted me, I told her I would no longer be treating her to a shipment of custom made cookies from a local bakery and she obviously didn't take it well." Carm shrugged.  
Laura grumbled something incoherent in the background, to which Sherman just looked back into the camera with a roll of his eye. Carmilla had to acknowledge how much he looked like his daughter when he did that.  
"Now, I understand revenge for this silent treatment, but why do I have to suffer?"  
"That's your job, isn't it? She's your kid." Carm shrugged again, amused, as she entered the practice space for the day.  
"Aye! Soundcheck in 3, Karnstein!" Laf called.  
"Yeah! Stop being gross with your girlfriend and let's go!" Danny came striding by.  
"Do you think they're ever not gross, D Bear?" Kirsch followed close behind.  
"You'll find out when she gets here, pup!" Carmilla yelled after them, so engrossed in her friends taunting that she completely forgot about the video call. Now she was faced with a bug-eyed, red-faced, very angry Sherman Hollis; and she was terrified. "Crap! I guess...you still...don't know about that."  
Laura finally tore her gaze away from the window to gawk at her father and her girlfriend. Carmilla had managed to slip past him with the cookie thing, but now she completely bombed it. And she was pretty sure the one about to go off was her father.  
"Sorry, Laura!"  
"YOU'RE GOING TO NEW YORK!"  
"Karnstein, let's go!"  
"Sir, I promise you I'll-"  
"YOU NEVER TOLD ME!"  
"Carmilla, right now!"  
"I KNOW!" Carmilla yelled. "Sir, please? Just hear me out!"  
"WE WILL DISCUSS THIS LATER!" He turned back to her.  
"I really have to go, Laura!"  
"Carm. You are so dead."  
"Hey, you finally talked to me! -"  
*CLICK*  
The call ended as Laf snatched the cell away, hit 'End Call' and dragged a scattered Carmilla forward for sound check.  
"At least we know she'll be here sooner. Let that be something to look forward to as you play your damn guitar." They pat Carmilla once on her back. "We're not mad. But, if you don't play, then I'll kick your leather clad ass myself."  
Meanwhile, Laura was facing one hot Sherman Hollis. Not in a good way.  
"Explain. Right now, young lady."  
Laura gulped, eyes flitting from the back door to the doorway for the living room. IF she moved fast enough, maybe she could make it out the front door before he could catch her.  
"Don't even think about it, Rookie." Sherman went into defensive position, both hands out and ready to shove Laura back if need be. "It didn't work when you were 5 and it won't work now. Start talking."  
Drat! Darn you and your stupid Hollis know how!  
She sighed, wishing more than anything for a handful of floo powder and a chimney right about now. Maybe a nice flying broomstick. Oh! What about a nice apparition? Meh...splicing is a high risk though.  
Worth it.  
"Well, Carm and I have been dating for some time now, and things are getting serious. We've even gotten to the 3 magic words that you told me never to say unless I truly meant it. Until 'someone made me feel like the precious gift that I am and was willing to buy the cookie jar and not get the cookies for free!'-"  
"DO NOT TRY TO HOLLIS YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS!"  
"Those are your words, Dad!" Laura hopped off her stool and pointed an accusing finger across the island at her father.  
"BAH!" He threw his hands in the air in frustration. His daughter could forget a lot of things. She can forget to bring the remote back from the kitchen. She can walk downstairs without her phone, and still think she's talking on it. She can forget to turn the oven off after baking pre-packaged cookies. She can walk out the door without pants. Or shoes. Or a bra. But she can remember incriminating lectures from her father to use against him. That she chooses to remember. Typical. "Alright. You have my attention."  
"Thank you." She internally high-fived herself. "I love Carm, and she's really trusted me with a lot. Her heart. I really want to hug her, to hold her. I want to know what a date feels like, Dad! I want to experience life that's not just me, this house, and school with the occasional job at school. And I want to do that with my girlfriend, Dad. So, I bought a ticket to go see her."  
His mouth opened, then closed. Opened, then closed. And opened again. He wanted to say something. Anything. What could he possibly say? 'Sorry'? She was right. He kept her under his watchful eye her whole life. She wouldn't want that forever. He wouldn't...not for her.  
"How long?"  
"Two days..." Laura wrung her hands together. "Everything's taken care of. I just have to get to the airport and-"  
"I'll take you myself." He took a seat on his side of the island.  
"You-You'll what?"  
"You're 19, honey. You’re 19 and you haven't lived. You deserve it. We both know why I've done what I've done all these years; but I don't need to do that anymore. So, I will personally drive you to the airport..." Sherman sighed again, sad and proud all at once. "I've got to let you go."  
"I love you, Dad." She reached to grab his hand, unable to reach far, but hoping her action was still of value to him.  
"I love you too, jellybean. Go pack for your trip."  
Laura smiled, bouncing towards the open entryway. Something made her pause and turn to her dad once more. She knew how hard this was for him. She knew what he was thinking. And she definitely didn't want that for him.  
"Hey, Dad? I'm not my mother. I would never leave you. You're stuck with me no matter where I go."   
He gave her a small grin in appreciation. "That's my girl."  
He was glad she could never forget that.  
.........  
"Are you still planning to kill me?" Carmilla asked. Laura had answered her phone later that night after a long practice and much needed nap.  
"Maybe."  
"Wow. Passive aggression. If it makes you feel any better, I had to tell Laf and the others you were actually going to be here in two days, and they chased me across the quad with silly string." Carmilla plopped back on her bed.  
"Ha. Ha."  
"Cute, Creampuff. Jokes on them. I got away string free."   
"Putting that on my bucket list." Laura scoffed, no longer upset at her girlfriend. Not really sure if she ever really was to begin with. She honestly couldn't remember what there was to be mad about. It was an accident and she was going to tell him anyway. At least he didn't take it as bad as she thought he would. There's no padlock on her door and he isn't guarding it with bear spray and an attack dog app on his phone. "2 days. Holy schnikies."  
"Feels weird, right?" Carmilla toyed with a strand of her hair to ignore the hummingbird wings fluttering in her chest. Laura being there was like playing in front of a crowd of thousands, which said a lot about her feelings for the little weirdo.  
"Yeah. It seems like only yesterday you were stalking my Twitter account and sending non-PG-13 texts to my phone in front of my father." Laura put the brush she was using on the bathroom counter and grabbed her toothbrush as she continued to get ready for bed.  
"It doesn't feel like yesterday when you keep waking me up at 7 in the morning." Carmilla rolled her eyes, annoyed. Because you still do it."  
Laura scoffed, rinsing the contents of her mouth before she tried to speak. "You like when I wake you."  
"You like all my X rated texts trying to get you into bed with me..." Her tone lowered, eyes smoldering. Laura tried to ignore that look, opting to stare intently at her reflection as she continued to brush her teeth. It was gross but at least it didn't result in her reacting to Carmilla's teasing. "You remember how good it felt to call my name, Laura."  
We said we wouldn't speak of that again! You traitor!  
"Stahp iyt efore mii dad-" She spit once more, rinsing her mouth with water. "Contain yourself."  
"You have something white dribbling down your chin. Isn't that supposed to be my position, Creampuff?" She kept pushing, raveling in the blush on the blonde's cheeks. Of course, they had agreed that no more would happen with them until they were together, and Laura was ready. However, they made no rule on teasing. That was fair game.   
Laura said nothing, wiping away at her face in vigor.  
"I'm having second thoughts about letting you go..." Sherman's concerned monotone spooked his daughter on the other side of the door. "Keep your unholy thoughts to yourself, Karnstein! I make bear spray! Respect my Christian household!"  
"YOU DON'T GO TO CHURCH, DAD!"  
"I HAVE A BIBLE!"  
"YOU USE IT AS A COASTER!"  
"GOD DOESN'T JUDGE!"  
"COASTER!"  
"JUDGER!"  
Carmilla fell back against her pillows, dying of hysterical laughter.  
"I'm hitting you with a pillow the first chance I get. It is my first priority."  
************  
"Hey, Carm?"  
"Mm?"  
They had both gotten in their pajamas and lay in bed awaiting sleep to overtake them. It was always nice to fall asleep together on video chat rather than through texts or phone calls. All were great and appreciated, but this way they could have a visual of what breaking the distance would feel like.  
"Do you think you're going to like me in person?" Laura pouted in fear. She'd been thinking it for a while, but she wanted to stay optimistic. The thought just wouldn't go away.  
"I'm going to love you in person." Carmilla yawned, sitting up to give Laura her full attention.  
This is to be expected. Long distance wasn't easy. Carmilla felt that way herself; but she didn't let herself get consumed by it. She let herself get consumed with Laura. Laura who would love a butterfly she'd never even met.  
"How can you be sure?" Laura pulled a teddy bear close to her chest for comfort.  
"Your pout is adorable, Cupcake." Carm wiped some sleep out of her eyes, though it remained in her voice; which made Laura's chest go crazy. "You made me love you without contact or physicality. You are an incredible, amazing, head strong young woman who has blossomed in the time I've known you. Having you here...it's going to make me soar. And, sore, hopefully...Joking...I just want to be with you, Laura. That's it. And you being you is going to be just as awesome in person as it is right now."  
"Now, can we please get some sleep?"  
Laura blushed, snuggling closer to her phone and pulling the covers up around her and her teddy.  
"I love you, Carm."  
"I love you too, Cupcake."  
One more day.


	9. 9

"ONE MORE DAY! ONE MORE DAY! ONE MORE DAY!"  
"I'm running away..." Sherman gruffed.  
Laura had just woken up and had spent the last hour running around the house screaming at the top of her lungs like she just rewatched a Doccubus episode. Sherman sat at the kitchen table babysitting a cup of coffee until it became grossly cold. Normally he'd think his daughter was being adorable, but it was 6 a.m. and she had woken him far earlier than he'd wanted on his first of two requested days off. The last thing he needed was his daughter using his belly as a diving board at such an early hour. Or any hour.  
"Sorry, Dad. I'm just so excited! Tomorrow is the day I finally get to see her! It's reason to just SCREAM!" The tiny, dramatic teen hopped up onto the island, kicking her legs and squealing.  
"Ah! Not until it's less morning if you please!" Sherman winced, feeling sleep begin to drain from his body ever so slowly. "Have you even packed yet?"  
"SWEET CHRISTMAS COOKIES AND VANILLA DIPPED DONUTS!" The kicking stopped immediately.  
"Oh, yeah! Let's go to New York naked! That's an Internet sensation just waiting to happen!" Her father rolled his eyes.  
"She'd actually like that..."  
"NOT MY DAUGHTER! I'LL-! I'LL-!" The bigger Hollis jumped to his feet, wagging a finger and reaching in his pocket for his pajama bear spray before his daughter removed herself from the counter and pushed him back into his chair gently by the shoulders.  
"Calm down there, Papa Bear. There will be no nudity taking place here in the least bit." She pressed a kiss to her father's cheek, making a face at how stubbly it was. No wonder she was gay. "Wow, Dad. You need to shave."  
His only response was an annoyed growl.  
"Right. Packing. Got it. ONE MORE DAY!" She bounced off for her room.  
AGH.  
Laura stared down at the empty contents of her suitcases in disbelief. In all her excitement about dipping into last year's library summer job money to take a trip to New York to see her girlfriend of...3 months, she totally forgot to pack clothes for this event. Wow, 3 months. Had it really only been 3 months? It felt like so much longer than that. 3 months seems so short, but it meant so much. Now they were meeting for the first time. They were lucky; this doesn't happen for years in other long-distance relationships. If only she could pack for this momentous occasion.  
"Well, you're going to New York in the summer, you have to take tank tops and shorts, right? And you can't forget the crop tops!" She began pulling clothes out of drawers and tossing them into suitcases. "Oh, this gives me an excuse to finally wear that owl spaghetti top!"  
Finally able to get her things together, Laura finished her last-minute luggage session with a very hype Spotify playlist in the background. 2 hours later, she collapsed on her bed, energy drained for the foreseeable future.  
Sherman Hollis remained downstairs at the kitchen table cuddling his still full, and cold, cup of coffee, soft snoring making little waves and air bubbles in the liquid.  
*10 hours later*  
She groaned as her phone rang uncontrollably next to her ear. Sometime during her pass out, Sherman had woken up, came upstairs to find her worse for wear than he was, covered her up and sat her phone close by before closing her door. Classic Sherman. As she stretched and looked at her caller ID. She checked the time. It was 6 p.m.! She'd slept the entire day away; and, now, her girlfriend was video calling her! Groaning, she answered.  
"Yow. This isn't the Laura Hollis I expected to see; but, my sentiments exactly, Creampuff." That joking voice made Laura blush as she popped her muscles.  
"Hiiiiiii, Caarrrrmmm!"  
"Hey there, Cutie. Long day?" Carmilla snickered.  
"Noooo. I packed my suitcase and took a nap. A 10-hour nap apparently." Laura splayed an arm over her face.  
"Party hard. Way to ace the luggage packing hangover. Did you manage to finish?" Carm adjusted herself on her bed, just returning home from practice and taking a shower. The camera shifted to 3 suitcases, 2 duffle bags and a backpack. "Uh...Cupcake? Are you visiting for the summer or moving in? Cause, if so, I'm gonna need a bigger dresser."  
"Too much?" Laura giggled childishly. She just wanted to be prepared... You never know.  
"Too much. Here, Cutie, let me help you."  
They spent the next half hour condensing Laura's belongings down to 1 suitcase, a duffel, and a small backpack. It helped that Carmilla gave her some tips on how to fold her clothes to make room for excess when traveling. After they finished, they just sat in peace and excitement.  
.  
"So, tomorrow will be...a lot." Laura chuckled.  
"Yeah. I hope I put you on your ass."  
"I hope you trip and put yourself on your ass."  
"Ouch. You'd let me embarrass myself that way?"  
"Better you than me."  
"...You evil little creampuff."  
Both girls cackled loudly until the quiet consumed them and they listened to each other breathe and just looked at the girl staring back at them. It was amazing how someone could mean so much in such a small amount of time. It's like it was written that they were meant to be together. Laura didn't run at Carmilla's baggage-filled pat, and rather packed her baggage to meet her in person. Carmilla didn't leave because of Laura's lack of socialization and relation but praised how mature she was regardless of that. Sherman had taught her well, regardless of his overprotection. This was a match made to meet.  
"I can't wait for this to be just another form of communication instead of our only form of communication." Laura spoke up. "People underestimate long distance relationships, I think. I've seen people on Twitter complain about how clingy and emotional and touchy their partner is just for wanting to cuddle at night or hold hands in public or wanting to be reassured that they're loved. They don't understand that those are love languages and things that make their partners feel close to them; and they won't understand unless they can only pretend to do those things through a computer screen, in pain because they may never have normal couple opportunities."  
Carmilla hummed, hearing what Laura was saying, truly listening. "We are just as much a normal couple as any other, first of all; but you have a point. Some people will never understand what we go through in LDRs, but I wouldn't change it. I would never change the moments I've spent with you. I don't care that they were behind a computer screen. They were with you...and that's so much more than nothing."  
If Sherman had heard, he'd be sharing a handkerchief with his daughter. They'd be a teary mess together, and Laura wouldn't mind it one bit. She would love to have her dad here right now to join these happy tears. Tears that are caused by one Carmilla Karnstein, the best girlfriend ever.  
"Ah, come on, Creampuff! Don't cry!" Carmilla groaned. "I'm getting queasy!"  
"But I love you." Laura sniffled. "I wanna see you."  
"I love you, too, goof. You'll see me tomorrow." Carmilla rolled her eyes with a breathy laugh. "What time is your flight again?"  
Laura grabbed a tissue and dabbed at her tears. "It leaves at 9 in the morning."  
"Holy shit! That's so early!"  
"That's average..."  
"THE HORROR!"  
Laura burst into hysteric laughter against her pillow until she was clutching her stomach and could no longer take it, and finally managed to catch her breath. "Do you want to watch movies until we fall asleep?"  
"First one to sleep buys coffee tomorrow morning." Carmilla wagered.  
"Deal!" Laura smiled. "And donuts!"  
She grabbed dinner from the fridge, and they scanned Netflix for movies to watch throughout the night. They ended up finding 3 that seemed interesting. It only took 20 minutes. A record.  
.  
Carmilla looked away from the laptop to Laura, who had fallen asleep cuddling her pillow. She couldn't resist, snapping a photo with the biggest smile and posting it to Twitter. Making herself comfortable in the same position as her beautiful girlfriend, she connected her devices to their chargers, double checked her alarm, and continued the movie until she drifted off to sleep.  
BroodyPanSensual-1MoreDay: The Cupcake @NearlyHeadlessHufflegay fell asleep. Guess I won this round. Coffee and donuts for me. See you tomorrow, Cutie  
Tomorrow.


	10. 10

"Which tie: the black or the blue?"  
"You're wearing a tie?"  
"I'm trying to look-. BAH!"  
Something would've fallen to the ground after that annoyed swipe across the counter, if there had been anything on it.  
"That was anticlimactic."  
Carmilla had been trying to find the perfect outfit for the past 2 hours. Her entire closet would have been on her bed if she wasn't trying to keep everything clean for Laura's arrival. Shed gone through each outfit so far with at least 3 reasons why they wouldn't work. This one was too long. This one had a tiny hole in the bottom left corner. That one was too tight in all the wrong places. Lafontaine walked in just in time for the newest freak out.  
"Dude get a grip. You don't have to butch it out for Laura. You only bring out that shirt for special occasions! -"  
"This is a special occasion! It's Laura!" Carmilla started taking the outfit off and placing it back on the hanger.  
"That's not what I meant. You wore that to my internship completion ceremony is what I meant. And the makeshift prom. And my cousins wedding. The button up, slacks, and shiny shoe combo isn't exactly first meet up material. Nor for you anyway. Give her one of those vintage Carmilla Karnstein looks. She knows who you are already, you don't have to sell yourself to her. She got you for free." Laf started rummaging through what was left of Carmilla's closet.  
"Nothing feels right! Nothing feels perfect to pick her up in! She deserves it! I got up at 6 a.m. to find an outfit, Lafontaine! WITH NO COFFEE!"  
"Calm your fangs, Countess Karnstein! Have you tried this one?" They held up a new choice to her. Laf shut down the start of Carmilla's spiral, shoving their findings into her arms. "Put it on."  
Carmilla stood there for a moment before taking the clothes off their hangers and shoving them on.  
"I don't think I could ever get used to you changing in front of me." Laf blinked twice, rapidly, adjusting the snapback on their head. "Good thing I only have eyes for Perry."  
"Good thing I'm not attracted to either of you." Carmilla pulled the pants over her waist and buttoned them up.  
"How's that feel?" Lafontaine rolled their eyes with a smirk.  
"Better. Thanks, Dr. Doofendork." Carmilla adjusted herself, feeling the most comfortable she had the entire morning.  
Black ripped jeans, white fitted tank, and a black hooded jean jacket was the outfit of choice. It was tight where it needed to be. It wasn't too big or too small for her liking today. It was perfect.  
Laf fist bumped their friend as they headed out. "Listen, don't go driving yourself nuts, okay? She's going to love you just as much in person as she does already. Think about it, she may not be freaking out as much as you are right now."  
As they let themselves out, Carmilla sighed. "Yeah, she's probably worse."  
Laura's POV  
"WHERE'S MY BACKPACK?"  
"YOU'RE WEARING IT!" Sherman groaned.  
They'd gotten dressed and loaded the truck for the trip; and, every time they got close to done, Laura panicked about forgetting something. Her left sock was almost a First 48 case. Her backpack went missing 3 times between her bedroom and the front door. She put her bagel into her pocket and tried to eat her phone as she complained about losing her phone. Her father pulled the device from between her teeth and cleaned the cream cheese off the screen. It was at that moment that Sherman Hollis feared for his daughter's well-being. It was like her brain shut off every time anything other than breathing was necessary. She tripped over absolutely nothing on her way to the truck.  
When did I raise a stereotypical horror movie victim?  
He pretended he didn't see a thing, opening the door for his daughter and going to get in the truck himself. "Are you sure you have everything? Clothes?"  
"Check."  
"Shoes?"  
"Check."  
"Money?"  
"Check."  
"ID? Inhaler? Electronics?"  
"Check. Check. Check."  
"Vitamins?"  
"Yep."  
"Bear spray?"  
"Yes, Dad, I am prepared for the invasion of a bear sanctuary." Laura strapped her seatbelt on with a playful roll of her eyes.  
"Okay. We're off then." Sherman began to pull out of the driveway.  
"Wait! Did I pack my deodorant?" Laura shoved at the door handle, frowning when it wouldn't open. She turned to her father suspiciously. "Did you child lock me?"  
"No, but I did lock your door, child. Figured you'd forget something else." Sherman pulled a piece of paper from his front shirt pocket, continuing down the street before something else came up. "This is a checklist of all your essential items. I took the liberty of checking everything you had after the 3rd time your toothbrush went missing in your back pocket. You have everything you need. Deodorant included.  
"I know this is scary for you, Sweetheart. You're never been out of the country. You've never left the city without me. You're in your first relationship, meeting your first girlfriend for the first time. Your body is probably thrumming like a thousand butterflies can’t decide between your heart and your stomach. Beads of sweat are probably threatening to dot your forehead and your pulse is through the roof as you imagine just how the moment will go. Will you trip? Will you fall and land on your face all bruised and bloody and-!"  
"Dad! I get it!" Laura wailed, even more scared now than she was before. "I wasn't thinking of any of those things until now!"  
"Oh? Just me? Okay" Sherman wiped a hand across his damp forehead, eyes darting around in front of him.  
"It's going to be okay, Dad. I’ll be safe. Carm won’t let me get hurt." Laura felt like she was trying to convince herself of her safety than her father. Her biggest fear was that her plane would never make it to New York, that she would go crashing down into the ocean and either drown strapped to her seat or the entire thing would fly off and shed land somewhere unable to be identified by anything but her dental records. A first-time flight was a big deal, and she was doing it alone. The anxiety was staggering. "How about we have a karaoke party like we used to? Maybe that'll ease both our minds."  
The big guy couldn't help the giant smile growing on his face. The excitement bubbling to the surface would not be contained. "90s or early 2000s?"  
"Do you even need to ask?" Laura giggled, pulling a black case from the backseat and inserting the CD they'd created just for these moments.  
....  
"I'M NOT GONNA WRITE YOU A LOVE SONG, CAUSE YOU ASKED FOR IT, CAUSE YOU NEED ONE, YOU SEE-"  
"I'M NOT GONNA WRITE YOU A LOVE SONG, CAUSE YOU TELL ME ITS MAKE OR BREAKING THIS, IF YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY-"  
"I'M NOT GONNA WRITE YOU TO STAY, IF ALL YOU HAVE IS LEAVIN, IMA NEED A BETTER REASON TO WRITE YOU TO STAY- "  
Sherman's truck pulled into a spot in the airport parking lot as the Hollis' performed their private, VIP, sitting room only rendition of Sara Bareilles Love Song. Sherman belted out the lyrics as his daughter held a brush to his lips, her phone her own personal microphone.  
"IF YOUR HEART IS NOWHERE IN IT- "  
"I DON'T WANT IT FOR A MINUTE- "  
"BABE, I'LL WALK THE SEVEN SEAS WHEN I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A REASON- "  
"TO WRITE YOU A LOVE SONG- "  
"TODAY!"  
They laughed together as the song played out. Sherman turned off the truck, turning to his little girl with joy on his face. "Are you ready, baby girl?"  
Laura gulped, taking a look at the airport and what was coming. "I'm ready."


	11. 11

She fought with herself for 15 minutes on whether she should have a cup of coffee. She knew that she'd make a full pot and down 4 cups if she wasn't careful. She didn't want to be hyper and shaky on her first encounter with Laura, not more than she already was. Laura shouldn't see her like that on the first meeting. She never consumed such a large amount so quickly before, but she knew she would change that with how nervous she was feeling.  
Dammit. This girl is ruining my nerves.  
To compromise, she made a small pot of coffee that only brewed enough for 2 cups. To ensure that she wouldn't drop the gun, she threw her entire supply of coffee onto a high shelf, transferred all her money into her savings account, except for gas money, and, then, put all her cash in her rainy-day stash.  
As she took a sip of coffee as she headed for the door, she sighed deeply, "What the frilly hell have you done to me, Hollis?"  
Just as she began to go for a second sip, a text came through.  
MyGirlfriend: Just had hot chocolate with my dad and almost near security. My plane boards in 30 minutes.  
Underneath was a short video of Sherman and Laura with foam mustaches throwing funny faces at the camera.  
You're making me happy, that's what you're doing.  
Laura's POV  
Laura and Sherman stood beside the line for TSA and held one another close. They didn't even make it to a stopping point before Sherman was crying. Laura wasn't too far behind. This was the first time they would be apart since Laura was born. Sherman never left her side. Now, he had to put his little girl's safety in the trust of someone in another country. It shocked him how incredibly easy, yet conflicting, it was for him to do so; and, how painful it was for him to let her go. He knew it'd be difficult, but this was worse. It was like his heart punched its way through his chest, hopped on a plane and joined beats with someone else, leaving a promise of return in its place to fill the empty space until, one day, it should return. All he could do was remember that, no matter where his baby girl went, she would never truly leave him.  
"I am so proud of you." He sniffled.  
"For meeting a girl? Thanks, Dad. I'm glad she has your approval." Laura wiped a tear away, rubbing it on her father's shoulder.  
"So far, she has escaped the direct line of my bear spray. But if you don't come back to me the same way you left, there won't be a clear eye in the house." He pulled away, wagging his finger at his daughter while reaching for a handkerchief.  
"Duly noted." Laura chuckled, turning to look at the clock over TSA. "I have to get going if I'm going to make my flight...I love you, Daddy."  
"Oh, I love you too, baby girl." He pulled her in for one more crushing hug, placing a kiss to her forehead. "Now, remember to take your vitamins and drink plenty of fluids!"  
"Ha! Okay, Dad." Laura began to make her way over to join the ever-shortening line.  
"And remember to call every day!"  
"Got it!"  
"No talking to weird strangers! Better yet, any strangers!"  
"Okay, Dad!"  
"Don't forget to wash behind your ears!"  
"Alright!"  
"And use fluoride free toothpaste!"  
"O-. What?"  
"Watch out for weird deodorants!"  
"Floss daily!"  
"Don't try any new vegetables!"  
"Dad!" Laura was finally at the front of the line, noticing all the people watching her dad in bewilderment, including the TSA. "I will be okay! I promise!"  
"Okay...I love you!" He waved with a new wave of tears coming on.  
"I love you too!" Laura started to follow security check instructions, removing her belt, necklace, shoes, and putting her bag on the converter belt. Once she walked through the metal detector, she knew that she wouldn't be able to see her father very much past this point. So, she offered one last energetic wave and smile to him before grabbing her things and making her way towards her plane. One final glance back, and she saw a TSA official awkwardly consoling a hysterical Sherman as he clung to the man in tears. She took a deep breath and carried on before she let herself be turned away.  
Once she followed the signs to her plane number, the passengers began boarding. It wasn't a slow process, just not as fast as one would hope. As the line proceeded slowly, she pulled out her phone and checked Twitter before beginning a tweet of her own.  
NearlyHeadlessHufflegay: Boarding my plane now. A little nervous about my first flight. Pretty soon @BroodyPanSensual and I will be together for the first time. I can't wait!  
The line began to quicken, and soon she was looking down at the opening of the plane doors. Running a hand on it for luck, she stepped inside and made her way to her seat. There were an elderly lady and man next to her as she slips into the window seat. She smiled at them and took one glance out at the ground, enjoying the view before being thrown thousands of feet into the air for the next 75 minutes. Her phone vibrated as the pilot lead the flight attendants in their usual safety discussion.  
AnnoyingGrumpyButt: I'm on my way to the airport right now. I love you, Laura. I can't wait to see you. Have a safe flight  
MyGirlfriend: I love you too. I'll see you when I land  
The pilot instructed everyone to turn off the data on their phones as the ride began to proceed. Laura put a single headphone in her ear and began to play her and Carmilla's playlist.  
"Have you ever been on a plane before, dear?" The elderly man in the middle turned to Laura with a soft smile.  
"What gave me away? The trembling hands or the pale face?" She responded.  
"You're very tense, love, that's all. Our daughter was the same way, all bunched up in her seat. Though, if you did that, I suppose you'd just disappear. Your feet are already pretty close to your chest. Such a tiny thing." The woman spoke up. "We can hold your hand if you want. Going up is worse than coming down."  
"Oh, you're very kind, but I don't think I need to-" As the plane began to pivot, her heart began to drop. She turned back to see the couple with their hands outstretched to her. "Yeah, okay."  
"Are you religious, dear? Do you pray?" The lady asked.  
"No, but I might just start right now." Laura closed her eyes in fear as her back was thrown against the chair.  
.. Carmilla's POV  
She blasted music in her car as she drove, sweet harmonies and songs of new love and fresh starts. Evolving to electric guitars and drum solos before tinkering off into lyric-less-ness. It was there, sipping the remains of her coffee as Joe Satriani played wet tears off his guitar that she found their song. And how she couldn't wait to play it.  
All that ran through her head was Laura and how she couldn't wait to meet her. Would they have that magical meeting they'd seen a thousand times on YouTube? Would they watch each other as one descended the escalator and run into each other's arms, spinning in a circle of excitement and joy and bliss and warmth? She didn't care. Carmilla didn't care how their first meeting would be at this point. She didn't care if she fell flat on her ass and bruised her nose (well, she did a little). She found it amazing to be meeting Laura at all. To have known her. To have loved her. A smile plastered her face as she pulled into the airport parking lot. After obtaining a 30-minute pass, she grabbed her phone to text her friends to let them know she'd made it. She even text Sherman, who responded in less than a minute- which explains so much about her lovely girlfriend. At that, she smiled even more.  
Stepping into the airport was like stepping into the crowd at her first major performance, and not in the way she would prefer. The buzzing of several hundred voices talking all at once was equally as annoying as walking through a large gathering of mosquitoes.  
Mosquitoes would probably be better on her nerves than the excessive mumbling of insignificant humans. Humans who were upset that their plane was late, their luggage was taking forever, or their kids were taking too long in the bathroom. The only voices that didn't make Carmilla wish she had brought headphones were the ones buzzing with excitement- whether to be reunited with a loved one or unite for the first time. It felt good to know she wasn't the only one with tingling fingers and a ready heart. No matter how she tried to keep up her bravado, she could never hide her excitement for Laura's arrival. It was in all the places she could not hide. The shake in her hands. The twitch in her lips when she wanted to smile at the thought of touching that honey blonde hair for the first time. It was in her eyes.  
Maybe she didn't really feel like hiding it anymore. Laura was nobody's secret. She's spent enough time hidden from the world. Even in Carmilla's excitement would she be seen.  
"Attention! Attention! Aircrafts are beginning to land. Repeat: Aircrafts are beginning to land. Please locate your designated loading stations to begin boarding in a calm and orderly fashion. Repeat: Please locate your designated loading stations."  
"Laura!" She gasped, rushing to the nearest board to find the location of Laura's arrival. The one thing they both forgot to discuss before today. "Flight 307. It's already here. Crap! Luggage carousel is M19. That's halfway across the airport!"  
She mapped it out as quickly as possible in her head. The distance alone with this crowd would take around 25 minutes at most. If she ran, she could knock it down to maybe 15, but there was no running through this without getting a heel to the back of the head or injuring someone else- not that the latter sounded so bad right now. There was one option left: brisk walk. She could shed some of the crowd if they went with option 2.  
It was harder to get past the mothers with strollers, but what asshole wouldn't understand that? No, the worst were the teenagers too stuck in their own worlds to realize or even care that they were in the way. Two years ago, Carmilla would've knocked the cell phones out of their hands and gave them a lesson on airport etiquette, what little there are; but she had grown since then and had a much more patient girlfriend grow on her. A girlfriend that had her moving through a sea of overly-stressed out New Yorkers just to see her face for the first time outside a computer screen; so she ducked and dodged her way through the constant waves of people for the chance of catching one face in the wind.  
......... Laura's POV  
Wow. This airport is bigger than the one back home.  
She'd gotten lost twice on her way to retrieve her luggage but had made it to the carousel and found her bags just fine. Now, she was just sitting and waiting for Carmilla to arrive, looking at her surroundings.  
Laura knows she's a small girl, but this was like Edmund on his way to find Chanticleer. The little boy had become a little kitty. Though she felt more like a mouse and New York was fierce and ready to pounce. She was in a trap, and Carmilla was the cheese. A very dark, very beautiful cheese that invaded Laura's essence with no more than a couple of retweets. How romantic.  
The anxiety never really went away, it just found a different cause. Laura was so afraid that the plane was going to crash the entire flight. Or snakes would pop out of the cargo hole and bring the whole thing down. Or an ethereal group of beings would invade, and the plane wouldn't land for 5 years, but feel like just a long and crappy day of destruction. Or the FBI would invade it and interrogate everyone on board like it was the 1940s. Or the Special Victims Unit would hold everyone on board while they were looking for a serial rapist and Laura would inadvertently get in the way and get shot in the thigh and die a slow and painful death in Detective Benson's strong arms.  
Maybe that last one wasn't so bad...  
Her foot was tapping as her anxiety was more focused on this meeting now more than before. There were no more distractions. No more packing. No more planes. No more distance. No more hoagie-eating fathers. Just her and time and-.  
Wow, that guy needs to slow down before he loses that suitcase!  
Aw! That little girl has a Supergirl outfit that matches her stuffed giraffe! That's cute. Do they make those in adult sizes?  
She was starting to get worried with how long it was taking. Is this how it's supposed to feel: minutes like hours? What was taking so long? Did Carmilla not come? Laura couldn't help but imagine her girlfriend splayed across her bed, hitting snooze on her alarm clock and rolling back to sleep. She giggled at that, erasing the idea. Carmilla wouldn't do that to Laura, not on purpose. Maybe there was traffic on the drive over, or foot traffic on the way in. Push comes to shove; she could always text her. Why hadn't she thought to do that before?  
Nice going', Hollis.  
Standing, she fished for her phone out of her back pocket. "Now, just to get to my-. Oh."  
And, she froze.  
.......Carmilla's POV  
Damn all these escalators! They're so crowded!  
Instead of waiting around, she figured it'd be quicker to walk around. More people would prefer the escalator anyway.  
Ah. She was so close. Right down from the baggage claim. She tried to find that familiar face but had no such luck as she continued her brisk walk down the corridor. Her mind raced. What if Laura's plane was late and the board was wrong? What if she wasn't there yet or went looking for the nearest cookie counter? A Creampuff that small would be swallowed into the deepest bowels of this place. Sherman would kill her. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, probably all the "Hollstein" (apparently, they'd gathered quite a following) fans on Twitter waiting for the first word of their meet -which would never be if she couldn't find Laura. That fairytale meet up flashed in front of her eyes briefly, egging her on.  
Come on, Cupcake. Where are you?  
"Carm!"  
She heard it. She knows she did. Somewhere up ahead! It wasn't fake. Not a mistake. This wasn't sounds clashing together to form words. Not a dream floating through a stone wall. Eyes, wide and frantic in search, flitted towards the sound. Honey brown hair. Small stature. Hope in her eyes and the brightest smile to ever grace the air on her face. Laura Hollis next to a pillar up ahead.  
And she was running. Sprinting. Closing the gap that had miraculously become clear. A clear path to her Laura.  
Quickly! Quick before the dream fades out and she disappears!  
It felt like the gap was expanding, pulling them apart again. Until, finally, Laura was in reach. The blonde braced herself for impact, her plane had come in for a landing. And she was flying already.  
She felt like coming home. Like stepping through the door from the harsh winter cold to the warmth of an open flame and the sweetest cup of hot chocolate ever made. She was everything to love about winter: sweetness, warm blankets, and the light of the fire. Yet, everything was merrier here in her arms than any Christmas Carmilla had ever experienced. Her skin had the scent of Christmas cookies with the softness of the smoothest piano rendition of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. Laura Hollis: Christmas in Summer. Oh, night divine.  
Nothing else mattered around them as that slow circle of comfort continued its twirl. She didn't give a damn about anything else. She had an angel in her arms. A miracle. An annoying vision of beauty without the need for perfection. She as she is is perfection. This is the feeling the movies talk about. This, right here, was joy.  
Backing away to cup that beautiful face in her hands, Carmilla felt soft, gentle fingers wipe at her eyes as she did the same. Both just stared at one another. Finally.  
"H-hey." Laura broke the silence between them, a watery smile never rippling.  
"Hey." Carmilla rasped, finally finding her voice. "So, which cheesy, pop culture song did you play on the plane in honor of such a momentous occasion?"  
Laura was so caught up in how much more enticing Carmilla's voice was in person that she almost missed the question. "Collide by Howie Day."  
"Ah. Great choice." Carmilla smirked, heart pounding at that angelic voice filling her ears. She cleared her throat, suddenly feeling a little out of sorts. "I would've brought flowers, but I was a bit too focused on something else."  
"How many cups of coffee did you have?" Laura rolled her eyes knowingly, not caring. Carmilla's blush was bouquet enough.  
"Not enough to prepare me for you." Carm ducked her head to hide the tinge of red in her cheeks. Out of nowhere, she pulled Laura against her chest with a deep sigh. "I'm so glad you're here, Cupcake."  
Laura giggled, wrapping her arms around Carmilla's torso. "Carm, your sappy is showing."  
"Tell anyone I ran for you and I'll show you sappy." Carmilla growled, letting go and grabbing one of Laura's bags. "Let's go before someone starts serenading us."  
"Isn't that your job?" Laura took her other bag, tossing her backpack over her shoulders.  
"Only for you, Cupcake. Only for you." Their fingers intertwined and Carmilla was sure they were a perfect fit.  
..........  
Finally, at the car, Carm put the bags in the trunk and turned to see Laura holding up her phone with them on the screen. A Twitter video.  
"Really, Cutie? I can't have one day without that thing?" She pouted, resting her head on Laura's shoulder.  
"Aw, come on! The Creampuffs want to see us! It's for posterity!" Laura whined.  
"Posterity can bite me. I have better things to do." She gave the camera a suggestive wink before going to open Laura's door. Which Laura filmed.  
"Like what?" Laura squeaked.  
"Like it's a surprise and you won't get it if you don't get in." Carmilla grinned, loving this so much already.  
"Bye, guys!" Laura ended the video, posted it, and got in.  
"See? Isn't that better?" Carmilla closed the door, walking around to the back of the car to the driver's side with a quick birthday morning smile on her face. She dialed it down as she got in and buckled in, looking over to her passenger seat. Her head lulled against the headrest, her eyes sparkling with something more than love. "Seriously, I'm really glad you're here."  
"It doesn't feel real." Laura's smile had yet to go away, strengthening the truth in Carmilla's heart. Laura was real. "I feel like you've just been a dream all this time and I'm gonna wake up any moment."  
"I'm real, Laura. I'm real, I'm here, and I am far from a dream, Cupcake." Carmilla took her hand again, proving them both wrong. This is happening. Not a dream. She smirked; glad her nerves were well hidden behind her personality. "I told you I'd love you in person."  
Laura blushed, rolling her eyes at her girlfriend. "Remember when I called you sappy?"  
"Tell no one!"  
"So, I can't tell them you're sappy? I can't tell them you ran? But I can tell them you cried?"  
"I will throw you back on the plane."  
"No, you won't." Laura leaped forward, wrapping her arms around Carmilla's waist. She'd say it was an obvious tactic to get her way, but she'd take any excuse to hug Carmilla forever. "Besides, if you want me to stop having schmaltzy notions about you, you should probably stop giving me edible nicknames."  
"Then who would be my cupcake?"  
And that is how to silence a Hollis, even for a moment. The ride back to campus was full of handholding and Laura Hollis Carpool Karaoke. Snapchats included. Carmilla rolled her eyes, made weird faces, and even flipped off the audience in one of Laura's videos; but she couldn't lie to herself and say that she didn't have the cutest girlfriend ever. As torturous as Laura's playlist was to listen to, it was almost worth the show of the adorable antics beside her. Luckily, Laura decided to play their playlist for the remainder of the ride.  
"So, what's my surprise?" Laura queried, looking at every passing building like it was the newest star in the galaxy.  
"I'm not telling you, cutie. You'll find out tonight." Carmilla peaked over at Laura's amazement at the new sights around her.  
"Can I at least know what to expect?" Her attention still on everything zooming by.  
Carmilla, a teasing grin on her lips, couldn't help herself. "Me in the bedroom with chocolate."  
Laura's head snapped away from the window and to Carmilla in shock. "Carmilla Karnstein!"  
"You asked!" Carmilla gave her girlfriend a side glance, grabbing her hand. "If I told you every surprise, I would never get to see that adorable look on your face. It'd almost be a crime."  
This girl was too much. "So, you won't tell me then?"  
"Not this time, Cupcake."  
.........  
"I still can't believe I lost that stupid bet."  
"I can't believe you stuffed an entire donut in your mouth."  
They'd decided to stop at one of Carmilla's favorite shops close to campus to fulfill the demands of the bet: Laura was treating Carmilla to coffee- and hot chocolate- and donuts. It was a quaint little place with jumbo sized portions at reasonable pricing. Laura was buzzing with the amount of variety on the menu. Carmilla had to take over during the ordering process before Laura could spend $50 on donuts, Danishes, and muffins alone. She had to argue her down to a $25 limit just to give the waitress their beverage order. The girl waited so long that she nearly missed her break; so, she sent a waiter instead. A waiter who shared Laura's taste in sweets.  
Watching this small, petite, innocent, angel-faced girl scarf down a donut just as quickly as she could grab it was as mind boggling as it was impressive. She'd only been in Laura's presence for a few hours and already Laura was ten times as amazing now than before. How is that possible? How can this brilliantly beautiful girl win her over with a few tweets, some texts, and constant 8 a.m. wake-up calls and then fly to New York and pull her in deeper two times over just by existing? Should she even question it?  
Choosing to stress over her continuously growing affection for her tiny little Creampuff at a later moment, Carmilla put her mind to something way less migraine inducing, sliding out of her chair. "I'll be right back, Cutie."  
"No problem, Carm! I'll just be right here, stuffing my face." A few crumbs spilled out of her mouth onto her shirt before finding their way to the table. Pouting, Laura wiped up her mess with a napkin, smiled in satisfaction, and started eating again. This girl was too much. Carmilla smirked, making her way to the bakery counter, leaning over it to whisper to the guy cross the counter. He nodded, disappearing through a door to return with whatever Carmilla had asked for. She hid the secret behind her back and slowly approached their table again where Laura was engrossed in her phone with a half-eaten chocolate glaze donut dangling out of her hand. As soon as she noticed black boots approaching out of her side vision, she jumped to clear her screen.  
"Ah! I'm not doing anything!" She took a bite of her donut to silence herself.  
"Sure. Your Snape/Ron fanfic is still on the screen spaz." Carmilla rolled her eyes with a chuckle, excited for what she was about to do. "I just came to give you this. Close your eyes."  
"What? Why?" Laura wiped crumbs off her hands over her napkins.  
"Just close your eyes, babe..." Carmilla smiled.  
Laura paused; eyebrows arched. Her nose scrunched in the most adorable way that Carmilla would have to remember. "You've never called me that before. I thought you were only capable of calling me anything edible. Aw, Carm!"  
"Alright! Get used to it, Buttercup. It's only been a couple a few hours. Plenty of time for sappy. Close your eyes." She insisted.  
Laura grinned but followed direction. Carmilla pulled the cookie out from behind her back and brought it to Laura's lips. Tapping her nose, she told her to take a bite and quickly sat back down for the reaction.  
It looked like someone had let fireworks explode behind Laura's eyes. They flew open like Carmilla had lit the fuse, and her pupils were the attraction.  
"OH, MY PUMPKIN PASTRIES."  
"Is that a new one?" Carmilla chuckled, showing Laura the rest of her special cookie. She'd gotten it specially designed as a map from Laura's house to where they now sat with the words Distance Broken written in frosting the other half. How significant. "Welcome to 3 months of what you call the average person's relationship, Cupcake."  
Laura blushed, wiping icing from the corner of her mouth. The fanfictions she'd read about first meetings had not prepared her for this. Ever since her plane landed, this day felt like a dream, like she was having the longest night ever and it just packed itself with more surprises- surprises like Carmilla Karnstein. Carmilla who refuses to admit that there is an emotional component to her behind the leather pants and electric guitar. Carmilla who somehow got her to leave the safety of her father and his overprotected household by doing nothing more than showing up and being exactly who she is. If anyone had told Laura a year ago that she would be sitting in New York City eating a custom-made cookie with a girlfriend far out of league with no adult supervision or Hollis-crafted bear spray, she would've told them to eat slugs. A year ago, she wasn't even allowed to make friends, let alone meet a girl as amazing as Carmilla.  
"If I concentrate hard enough, I can see your thoughts dancing through your eyes." Carmilla smirked, leaning against the table. "What's on your mind, Cutie?"  
"What makes you think something's on my mind?"  
"Well, for one thing," Carm tipped her chair forward wiping a finger underneath Laura's eye. "You'd be the first person ever to cry over a cookie above the age of 3 if you didn't."  
"You always said I was toddler height." Laura shrugged.  
"Yes, but not the emotional capacity of one, so out with it." Carmilla offered a napkin.  
Laura took it and sipped her cocoa. "I'm just really glad I met you."  
"So, I guess me stalking you wasn't so bad after all, huh?"  
"Do you admit it?"  
"I admit that I want to get onto campus before the concert." Carmilla grinned, standing to her feet.  
"You have a concert?" Laura put the money on the table and grabbed her phone.  
"Music never stops, cutie." She reached for Laura's hand.  
...........  
"Laura! It's so lovely to finally meet you!" Strong arms wrapped themselves around Laura's shoulders, soft, firm hands rubbing her back like kitchen tiles. Curly red hair took over her vision. She didn't know what to do, but she fought the instinct to knee the nice, lemon-scented lady in the kidney. Besides, it was only a hug. No stranger danger here. "She is clean. I approve."  
Carmilla had taken Laura straight from the shop to the campus, right to the stage set-up for outdoor concerts. The walk there was full of greenery, the pointing out of different buildings, and avoiding students on bicycles- or Carmilla making said students crash on their bicycles. Now, Laura wished her girlfriend had prepared her more for all this.  
"Hey, Curly Sue, you can give her back now." Carmilla shook her head and smirked as she tossed her guitar strap around her neck. Everyone was there preparing for the show. Carmilla figured why not get it over with. "Cupcake, this is everybody. Everybody, this is the cupcake, Laura. And, by everybody, I mean Danny, Kirsch, Lafontaine, Will, and Perry, the one with no idea of personal space."  
"Nice to meet ya, Frosh." Lafontaine stepped forward as Perry backed away to stand beside them. "It's about time someone tamed that-"  
"Shut it, Laf." Carmilla snarled.  
"Hi, Laura! I'm Kirsch, and I like warm hugs! C-Dog talks about you, like, a lot! Made you sound super cool! We should grab a protein bar later! Or, like a-"  
"Please excuse him. He gets far too excited meeting new people. I'm his girlfriend, Danny. Nice meeting you." Danny grabbed Laura's hand in a firm grip.  
"I-it's nice to meet all of you. Carm told me so much about you." Laura smiled warmly, happy to put names and faces together from more than just photos where Carmilla never told who was who. She waved awkwardly at the 6 others in the group who didn't bother to come over and introduce themselves, though one looked like he would've if he weren't so shy. Carmilla never bothered to name them in the photos she sent, but she made a mental note to try to extend a hand later. Until then, she focused on the ones she had been introduced to. "I'd hug you all but I'm quite sure how appropriate that would-. Oh, I just can't STAND IT!"  
Launching herself off a pivot foot, Laura wrapped her arms around Perry and Lafontaine before doing the same to Danny and Kirsch. Just as quickly as she'd moved, she placed herself back on the ground. Only Perry and Kirsch seemed grateful. Danny looked slightly amused. Lafontaine looked uncomfortable, but appreciative.  
"Sorry..."  
"Well, I'm disgusted." Will and Carmilla mumbled, though Carmilla was smiling to herself at how adorable her girlfriend was. "Alright! Are you gonna sound check me, Laf, or play Hugging Machine?"  
Lafontaine offered their version of some sort of awkward bow before heading backstage. Laura took in the view from the stage. In no time at all, the grass would be filled with the student body. How could anyone perform with that kind of pressure? Hundreds of moody, drunk (possibly), screaming college students? Exhilarating.  
"A lot more daunting than your Guitar Hero: Live screen, huh, Creampuff?" Carmilla draped an arm around Laura's shoulders, peering out with her.  
"Very. How do you not massively hurl before a show? This is definite puke factor territory." The blonde tried to envision the space being full but couldn't find the image.  
"First, I try to avoid the word puke. Once you've done this a few times, you find ways to handle the nerves." Carmilla shrugged.  
"Imagine the crowd in their underwear?"  
Carmilla snorted. "No. I just focus on the music."  
"Play a tune, Karnstein!" Laf called over mic. Guess that was the mic check.  
"Here." Carmilla removed her ears (which is stage talk for 'earbuds' Laura learned), and quickly wiped them and put them on Laura. She took a step back for good measure and Laura's eyes bulged as she watched fingers dance across the neck of the guitar like it was as easy as drawing a breath.  
"Hogsmeade." She gasped.  
"Butter beer." Carm winked.  
...........

Laura had no clue what she expected, but seeing the students pile onto the greenery and await Carmilla's band felt like what she imagined One Direction, dodie, or even fricking James Bay or James Arthur felt when they awaited the start of a performance. None of the students were wearing band T's or carrying signs, but they were riled up and conversing in a buzz of different conversations. There was one girl hoping the drummer threw his towel at her so she could smell his sweat. Laura wasn't sure if she should tell Will about it. The guy would probably get a big head over it. He seemed like the type. She couldn't think about it much. Her own mind was on Carmilla and trying to grow accustom to being in such a big group of people. She was right where Carmilla told her to be; in the center, but towards the left so the microphone wouldn't block her face.  
It wasn't being in a crowd of stranger that was making her nervous; ironically, it was Carmilla playing and watching her from the stage. Her girlfriend was attractive enough clad in leather and sarcasm. But under lights on a stage with a guitar and a microphone while in said leather? May as well rip her heart out of her chest.  
"Does Laura have any idea?" Laf moved black hair to finish attaching Carmilla's pack down her shirt to her back pocket.  
"Not one." Carmilla smirked. "She's gonna be the reddest I've ever seen her."  
"That's why you're doing this, aren't you?" Danny tossed a batter to Will.  
"It is a beautiful color on her."  
"My gosh, you really do love her." Amazonian was shocked, tossing the guitar over Carmilla's shoulders.  
"Love doesn't mean the same thing to everyone." Carmilla adjusted her clothes against her instrument, offering a pointed look.  
"And just what does it mean to you?"  
"15 seconds." Laf warned.  
Carmilla smiled, thinking of all the moments she shared with Laura. How much joy she had since meeting her bite-sized Cupcake with a mountain of flavor. Laura made her remember that the sun was her friend and she should bask in it. For the first time in life, with Laura, the sun was beautiful. The sun was endearing. The sun was Laura. And she loved it.  
"Everything."  
The curtain pulled away and the band pushed onto the stage, greeted by a lawn full of students and their guests.  
"Good evening, MSM in N.Y.C!" Carmilla swirled around to point a finger at Wilhelm, who joined her in a drum roll with her guitar. "WE ARE AUV!"  
"ASZ! ACADEMICS SUCK ZEROS!" The crowd roared back, making the brunette lean back with laughter, cueing the first song of the night.  
Her guitar began the closest thing to the Mario theme Laura had ever heard before the drums joined in and the son changed. She could feel every beat reverberate in her body like it was coming from her very core. She expected to be blown away from song one, she just didn't expect Will to be the one to start.  
"'I should've let the bullets shed  
I should've left off where it all began  
It's been so long I don't know where it ends  
And nothing seems the same'"  
His voice was beautiful, trained. The song fit him so well, it nearly threw her off when Carmilla joined in and synched it so well.  
"'My eyes, they close without the sleep  
My broken heart is yours to keep  
So, pull out the puzzle and every piece  
While I take off again'"  
She understood now why this band was working so well. They were a collection of completely different people joining together for an equal love in music. The fact that they sounded so conjoined together put into stone how perfect their band was. If only they had a Spotify.  
Carmilla and her guitar looked like a match made in heaven from where she stood looking up at a set of hands controlling a more than submissive partner, knowing that the guitar was in the one with control. She looked so engrossed in what was happening at her hands that the crowd could've dissipated, and she would never know. It was only when Carm locked in on her and smirked that Laura understood what it really was. She was inviting it all in. She was feeling the rush. And how beautiful did it look on her.  
The first three songs had the yard of listeners on their feet with fists pumping at their favorite hits being covered with grace and respect. Laura was having an awesome time experiencing energy spilling out of encouraging her own to participate. Her hair was flying, body sweating, hands clapping while others in her proximity allied alongside as her crowd. She was dancing with strangers without a care in the world. Her father would flip his lid.  
"'It's been a really, really messed up week  
Seven days of torture, seven days of bitter  
And my girlfriend went and cheated on me  
She's a California dime but it's time for me to quit her'"  
If hair flipping and jumping about with strangers was wrong, body grinding with strangers was surely a crime. It didn't feel wrong. It felt like every dance party she'd had alone in her room times one hundred. Why this was never a part of her life? She couldn't answer. She knew she had to do this again and again and again. So, she let herself enjoy song until her body needed a break or she would surely collapse.  
"Alright! Wipe the sweat from your upper lips and take a breath. It's time to- "  
"WIND DOWN!" The students clapped, but nothing more. They knew not to. This was a moment of feeling. A time to truly experience.  
"So," Carmilla picked up a bottle of water and took a swig before placing back behind her microphone. "Someone pretty fuckin' special has a secret love for this next song. No, it's not Lafontaine."  
A roll of bass as a response, they threw their hand up to gain some cheers from their audience.  
"No, this is another person far more special than the science geek over there. She has a secret love for this song...and I have a not-so-secret love for her." The brunette's smile was a better view than her playing. "So, get those lights up and wave 'em high."  
Kirsch began plucking away while Will shook his tambourine from his drum set. Carmilla kept her eyes aimed right at the blonde who had flown from a place of familiarity and safety to be here with her, and let her fingers make magic on the fret. The face she watched shift from content and tired to shook and admiration was much worth how long it took her learn that song. Joe Satriani was no easy feat. Good thing Laura was worth it. In true Carmilla fashion, she continued to stare right into glistening eyes through the entire song; finished with a wink to her girl on the last chord.  
Kirsch swapped his electric guitar for an acoustic, getting closer to Carmilla as stools were placed down for them. Grinning like a goofball, he gave his friend a nod and began. Any goof on his face vanished almost instantly.  
"'Man, you really know how to get someone down  
Everything was fine until you came around  
I've been chasing after dreamers in the clouds  
After all wasn't I the one who said to keep your feet on the ground  
Man, you really brought me back down'"  
Never in the concerts she'd played had Carmilla heard a crowd sing louder than when they played this song. It was one they'd began singing when they thought they weren't being taken seriously. It took this song to prove them wrong. Something about it took them to a different place of acceptance and self-appreciation. It was lovely and heartbreaking all at once; so, they let themselves feel it and offered it to their fans. As with the next 2 songs that followed. The point of a wind down is to understand the importance of feelings and embracing them. There was a point when that seemed impossible and ridiculous to Carmilla. People change. People change people.  
"Enough already! I'm getting queasy!" She got a boom of laughter from her audience, exactly what she was looking for. "Let's go!"  
The concert continued in blares of guitar, booming bass, and screaming fans. Carmilla's ability to be so versatile was unique. It wasn't exactly common. It's something extraordinary. And the band? They were all incredibly lucky to have found each other. A band like that was one in a million.  
Laura was surprised that her body wasn't tired yet. She was on her feet for the entire concert. Her energy was high, and she was never planted in one spot for too long. She scream-sang Motion City Soundtrack with a guy who was spinning his sweaty T-shirt in the air with the band name spray-painted across his hairy chest; though, the letters were starting to melt down his stomach from all the perspiration. He was still a bucketload of fun.  
"MSM in N.Y.C!" Carmilla took a sip of water.  
"NO!" The students yelled back.  
"Assholes." Carmilla flipped off the crowd with a smile, receiving a cheer in response. Her hair was sticking to her forehead at this point, and she was clearly tired, but her energy was still radiating. "We are AUV, and this is the final song of the night."  
"NO!"  
"I knew you'd be pleased." She drawled, excited to get to this moment. "So, tonight is a little special, but you already knew that. It's actually pretty fucking special. You see, my girlfriend, Laura, traveled a long ass way to meet me for the first time today- "  
Screams of excitement filled the area. Carmilla could only nod and grin like she'd just won a princess's hand in marriage, and Laura blushed like she'd easily accepted, until they toned down.  
"-and, she's here in the crowd tonight. My girl is fearless beyond recognition and I'm taking advantage of that tonight."  
What in the name of Riversong is she up to?  
"So, with all that being said...Laura, get up here please." Carmilla looked right at her with her classic Carmilla smirk. "Give her a hand, guys."  
Laura's eyes bulged out of her head as she shook it vigorously. She wanted to run for the hills for the first time since she got here; then again, not. She was split between hiding in a trash can and joining her girlfriend onstage. The hundreds of strangers chanting her name should've made her more anxious, but they only fed her decision. Guess they were doing their jobs right. With a reluctant step forward, she let herself be led to the stage.  
Carmilla grinned as she replaced her guitar with a ukulele. Another microphone stand was brought out for Laura as she was helped up. Carmilla placed a kiss to her cheek, earning 'awes from their onlookers.  
"So, Laura here has a love of a certain singer to whom she once accused me of not knowing. I couldn't think of a more rewarding way to welcome her to MSM than to end tonight with this song. But she's singing it with us!"  
"She is?" Laura froze, her eyes shooting daggers at the brunette, who only mouthed surprise as a reply.  
"MSM IN N.Y.C! WE ARE A.U.V!"  
"ASZ! ACADEMICS SUCK ZEROS!"  
"Damn straight! 1,2,3! Hit it!"  
As soon as the music started, Laura closed her eyes and chuckled. Of course, Carmilla would sacrifice a part of her image to change the music for one night, for one moment, for Laura. Of course, she would. She stepped up to the mic, looking to Carm for a sign to begin. Go big or go home, right? Little too late to do the latter.  
"'She knows this feeling all too well  
She feels her heart begin to swell  
Handsome stranger  
You have made her insides turn to jelly'"  
Shockingly, a huge portion of the students were singing along. Laura hadn't realized how big dodie had become until right now. It was beautiful. And she got to witness it.  
Carmilla signaled for her join.  
"'She wants to dance around the room  
Kiss you until your lips turn blue  
But handsome stranger  
You have made her wonder...Is she pretty?'"  
Finally, the moment blending of their vocals, their voices joining together live in the music. They're connection.  
"'And it's too late  
She believes in fate  
She's absolutely smitten,  
And she'll never let you go'"  
Oh, how important these lyrics were to their relationship. It felt right to sing it here, now, with Laura. Sentimental as it was, it was worth it. Everything after meeting Laura was worth it. The feeling in her chest as they sang was worth more than a thousand concerts. She could never forget it. And the smile on Laura's face after breaking through the fear, she couldn't have imagined anything more radiant.  
The band kept the music going and the background singers kept singing while Carmilla addressed their audience. "You've been amazing! We are A.U.V! Now, fuck off and fuck up!"  
People danced their separate ways off the courtyard. Some in groups and clusters, others by themselves or with partners. But nobody left untouched. Especially Laura.  
........  
"That was amazing!"  
Carmilla chuckled, adjusting the strap on Laura's bag as she closed the door to her apartment. "You've been saying that since we left the courtyard. Are you ever going to get over it?"  
"Maybe when I'm dead!" She let her body drape against the wall while Carmilla put her keys away.  
"Oh, well don't do that just yet. I just got you home." Carmilla tucked a strand of hair behind Laura's ear, arm above her head as she leaned down to the blonde. Laura held her breath, the speaks in her eyes expanding. Carmilla internally high-fived herself. It was so easy to get to her. Lips right next to the cutest ear she ever saw, a new discovery in her idea of the word cute, she breathily rasped, "Come on. I'll show you to the bedroom."  
Laura looked like her feet were nailed to the floor, so Carmilla grabbed her hand and pulled her back to the bedroom. Laura didn't even take the chance to admire the living room or the kitchen, though she was sure there were some stray shirts on one side and a sink full of dishes on the other. This was Carmilla after all. Carmilla who now had her turn to be nervous.  
As soon as she stepped through the doorway, she released Laura's hand to stuff her own in her back pocket. Her grip on the bag wavered and her eyes lowered more towards the ground than Laura had seen them all day.  
She was shocked at how clean it was. There were no clothes strewn about. No empty chip bags or stray coffee cups across the floor. There wasn't even lint on the ground. Everything was put away and neatly kept. Both beds were perfect representations of hotel expectations. Though she didn't remember that other bed in any of their video chats together. Light music was playing from somewhere, and there were string lights lining the walls.  
"How long did it take you to clean this place up?" She questioned the nearly sweating brunette.  
"Oh, not that long... a week, a week and a half, tops." Carmilla took the suitcase from Laura's hands and placed both the suitcase and the duffle she was carrying into the closet before facing Laura again with those same anxious eyes. "So, I wasn't sure if you'd be comfortable sleeping in the same bed with me. I figured it would be a bit of a push too far seeing as this is a very new thing for you, relationships and all; so, I got this one for you just in case. It's good quality. I even made sure you had extra pillows and stuff. And, uh, yeah...If it's too much, you can tell me. It was either this, or I give you my bed and sleep on the floor."  
Laura ran her fingers across the full-sized bed. There was a headboard and everything. How did a college student even afford this? "You'd sleep on the floor because of me?"  
"Vampiric constitution trumps lower back pain." Carmilla shrugged, taking a breath and dropping down onto her bed. "Is it okay?"  
"It's beautiful, Carm. I love it. I mean, I know you didn't just do it for me but- "  
"Don't be an idiot. Of course, I did it for you. I did all of this for you. The lights. The music. The con- "A hard cough erupted from her lungs. She quickly contained it before clearing her throat with a heavy sigh. "Concert."  
"Are you okay?" Laura took a step forward, reaching out.  
"I'm okay. It happens sometimes. All that singing does fucked up shit to the vocal cords. I can drink some tea later." Carmilla shook her head with a smile. "I'm just happy you're here."  
"Me too! Can you believe it? I can't even begin. And I know it's probably too late to be so excited about it. It's just-. It's just yesterday we were apart and- and now we're not and- and I know you probably with through a lot dealing with this..."  
Carmilla's face was hard to read. It was blank but set in an emotion Laura couldn't readily identify. Almost like she was tranced. As she rose to her feet, face to face with Laura with that same look, the blonde nearly forgot what she was trying to say as those dark chocolate eyes bore into her soul and made it ignite.  
"...because of everything with your ex and..." Laura could've been reduced to a puddle under those eyes and she wouldn't have even cared. "I just-."  
Soft hands caressed her skin as those eyes melted from set in stone to longing and silently asked for permission. Before Laura could mentally process what was happening, Carmilla closed the very small gap between them, their lips coming together like honey meeting the water for the first time. It was short, but it made that ignited soul burst with embers of passion Laura didn't even know existed. Face to face with those gentle, smiling eyes again, she knew she had to have just imagined it. No way that feeling could be real.  
"And I know that didn't just stop because of me and I- "  
"Laura, Laura, hey." Carmilla pulled her in a second time, much too content to let Laura's rambling stop her now. "Shut up."  
Laura squealed, sure now that she definitely hadn't imagined it, and kissed her girlfriend once more.  
"Wow." They clung to one another, happiness surrounding them both as if it were presenting itself for the first time. Laura's outburst put a small smile on Carmilla's lips. This was her girlfriend. This adorable little motormouth with such a tall personality. This was her life now. How beautiful.  
"You're really good at that! You should, like, teach classes or something."  
Carmilla snorted, pinching her nose in astonishment. She could only shrug because who would argue?  
"Okay, cutie, why don't we get settled in for the night and I can teach you what I know?" Carmilla rolled her eyes, "I'll let you shower first and I'll make my tea before you put another foot in your mouth."  
Laura blushed, silently agreeing.  
Showering felt way more relaxing than she thought it would after such a long day. All the excitement of traveling, meeting, and dancing does wonders to the body. It felt nice to let hot water hit her skin and wash away the smell of the airplane and hairy guy sweat. As she stood in the bathroom mirror staring at her wet reflection in the mirror, she just smiled. Because outside that door was the reason for it.  
While Carmilla took her turn in the bathroom, Laura did a walkthrough of the apartment. She knew the neatness of the place wouldn't last the first week. The living room was bare except for a TV, a couch, table, and keyboard. There was one photo on the wall. It was a single song lyric in French. The kitchen was pretty standard, one table and a coffee maker. It fit Carmilla and her lifestyle so well to be so standard. She wouldn't expect much when Carmilla was focused more on her music than the design of her apartment. She spent the rest of her wait sitting in the bedroom on Carmilla's bed with her yellow pillow texting her father- who decided to call right as Carmilla came walking out.  
"What took you so long?"  
"I- "  
"I took her to her first concert! Calm down, big guy!" Carmilla came out in a pair of shorts and a sports bra, knocking the words right out of Laura's mouth. Rolling her eyes, she threw a tank top on before Sherman got concerned as to why he would only hear sputtering from his daughter for the duration of their conversation.  
"Oh? Who was it?" His tone went from papa bear to rock fan.  
"It... Carm performed." Laura cleared her throat as Carmilla dived onto the bed behind her.  
"Really?" He laughed. "I should've guessed it."  
"It was an honor to be your daughter's first concert, sir." Carm snatched the yellow pillow from Laura's grasp and placed it behind her head.  
"Better have made it worth her while, Karnstein!" He snickered. "It's late. You two should be heading to bed. I just wanted to check in on you, baby girl. Make sure you were okay."  
"I'm fine, dad. Already took my vitamins. Brushed my teeth. All the good stuff." Laura elbowed Carmilla in the ribs after she snickered at her.  
Sherman sniffled; his voice stained with tears. "That's my girl."  
"Goodnight, Dad." Laura rolled her eyes.  
"Goodnight, you big goof." Carmilla cackled.  
"Goodnight girls. I love you." The call ended abruptly.  
"Well, someone was tired." Carmilla shrugged, leaning up on her elbow. "So, since you're on my bed with all your stuff, I can only assume you're sleeping with me?"  
Laura blushed, body tensing. "Well, if it's okay with you, I'd like to give it a try."  
Carmilla smirked, eyes twinkling as she rose to her feet. "That's just fine with me, cutie. I'll get the lights."  
Laura pulled back the blanket and set her phone on the bedside table next to Carmilla's as her girlfriend waited for her to get settled before hitting the light switch and closing her door. Carefully, Carmilla crawled over Laura and joined her under the covers.  
"Is this okay?" She asked into the darkness.  
"Mmhm. I'm comfortable." Laura replied, looking out into the dark space waiting for her eyes to adjust.  
Movement behind her got her attention. Before she could question it, an arm wrapped around her waist while another draped itself above her head.  
"Is this?" Carmilla questioned again, careful not to cross a boundary.  
Laura's heart raced and she smiled to herself and nodded a response to the brunette.  
"Okay. Good." Carmilla sighed in relief. "Good night, Laura."  
Something in the pit of her stomach craved something. It scared her to try it, but so did everything else she'd done with Carmilla thus far. Why not go for it? Gently rolling over underneath the blankets, making Carmilla tense in the process, Laura curled herself against Carmilla's chest. She listened to the hum of butterfly wings inside and grinned. A single kiss to her collarbone, she snuggled against her and breathed in the scent of coconut milk and honey dew. Diffidently, Carmilla coiled her arms around Laura's body, pressing her lips into blonde hair that now smelled like her shampoo.  
"Goodnight, Carm." She yawned. "...I love you."  
It didn't take long for the blonde to fall asleep, obviously warn out by today's activities. Carmilla had begun to stroke her hair and hum a silent tune that only she knew the words to until Laura drifted off to sleep. Silent snores filled her ears and she smiled into the darkness. Her own somnolence began to engulf her as she drifted off to Laura's lullaby. Holding on to the small form in her arms, her heart finally put itself at ease.  
"I have been in love with no one, and never shall," She whispered, "unless it be with you."  
And if nothing else meant the world, they held theirs until the light of the morning dared to pull them apart.  
The end.  
A/N: Well, this is the end! I hope you have enjoyed! Don't forget to like and share! I love you all so much and I appreciate the love that has been given as this story means so much to me.  
I do want to address 1 thing though.  
I know that in this chapter I included the concert. I made an actual 20-song set list and spent a long time ensuring that the order of songs was perfect. I felt the need to include that list in case anyone wanted any new music or even a new playlist, and who played what just in case it made sense to you guys as well. I worked really hard on it so, here it goes!  
Happy New Year, Creampuffs! See you in 2020  
1\. Truth or Dare- Garden State Damien  
2\. Sugar, We're Going Down- Fall Out Boy  
3\. LaLa- The Cab  
4\. Tonight Tonight- Hot Chelle Rae  
5\. Anna Sun- Walk the Moon  
6\. Geronimo- Sheppard  
7\. R U Mine? - Artic Monkeys  
8\. Makeup- We Three  
9\. Always with Me, Always with You- Joe Satriani  
10\. 26- Paramore  
11\. Hurricane- Midnight Cinema  
12\. The Only Exception- Paramore  
13\. Neutron Star Collision- Burn Hole Sun  
14\. Look Up At the Sky- Us the Duo  
15\. Teenage Dirtbag- Wheatus  
16\. L.G. Faud- Motion City Soundtrack  
17\. The Ballad of the Mona Lisa- Panic at the Disco  
18\. Welcome to the Black Parade- My Chemical Romance  
19\. Stutter- Mariana's Trench  
20\. Would You Be So Kind- dodie

Carmilla- lead guitar, lead singer  
Will- drummer, singer  
Perry- keys  
Laf- bass  
Kirsch- 2nd guitar, singer  
Danny- band manta, stagehand  
Betty- background singer  
Elsie- stagehand  
Natalie- background singer  
Sarah Jane- background singer  
Theo- stagehand  
J.P.- background singer


	12. Alternate Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is 7,790 words, 22 pages long. I had to start over at 2 am when my computer glitched out. My point here is, you're welcome lol

"Aw, Cupcake! It'll be okay. Please don't cry."  
Carmilla could feel her own stomach clenching as she listened to Laura's sobs over the phone. When she had checked her e-mail this morning before her flight, she'd received an alert that her seat had been reassigned and she would receive a refund. She could do nothing because the seat was given to military personnel and there were no more seats available according to the woman that answered her call; so, Laura was unable to make her flight. To make matters worse, there wouldn't be another flight for 3 more months that she could afford. Carmilla offered to help, but there wasn't much she could do other than one thing; one thing that she had no problem doing. One thing that somehow excited her more than meeting in an airport.  
"I'll come get you myself." She offered.  
The one thing that would momentarily silence her sobbing girlfriend. She had never been sadder about a silence Laura. But she couldn't really blame her. Laura was stunned. Her tears didn't even register on her face anymore. Nothing registered.  
"C-Carm, I couldn't ask you to do that. It's such a long way. How long is that drive? Like 10 hours?"  
"It's 8 hours, but that doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is seeing you, and I intend to see you as quickly as I possibly can. If that means spending 8 hours in a car with you and Grande's Greatest Hits, then so be it." Carmilla shut Laura down immediately, grabbing her keys and bag and waiting by her door. "Just wait for me, cutie. Can you do that?"  
Laura blushed, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. "Well, I've waited this long, haven't I?"  
"That's my girl." Carmilla smirked, ending their call. She stuffed her feet in her shoes and huffed for what she was about to do. Dialing one more number, she began a gentle jog down the stairs as they answered. "Are you at the stage set...Don't leave...Just...Don't!"  
Hanging up, her jog turned into a full sprint. She didn't have a lot of time to ensure this happened. She needed as much time as she could spare, and this may just be the only way this could happen. It was completely against her character, but she'd grovel to Satan himself if it got her to Laura.  
"Why am I waiting here instead of getting donuts with my girlfriend?" Lafontaine met Carmilla at center stage when they heard her barge in. "Perry's getting me a bear claw!"  
Carmilla ignored the discussion of sugary consumptions, grabbing Lafontaine's shoulder for both emotional support and physical. "I need your help. I need to get to Laura."  
Their concern about their temperature declining box of donuts quickly left the building. They were more concerned that Carmilla Karnstein had her hand on their shoulder and it wasn't to prepare to punch them in the face. She was willingly presenting physical contact without any tricks involved. Clearly something was wrong.  
"Is she okay? Did something happen?" They wondered what best friend duty would need to be performed. Hugs. Comfort. Murder. Only one of these things they were comfortable with. What was the protocol when one danger-magnetic Hollis found herself in need of rescue in another country? Maybe this would give them the opportunity to use that pilot license they found online.  
Carmilla went through everything. The phone call. The canceled flight. Laura's crying. Her offer. She didn't even sound herself the way she went through it like it was falling out of her mouth instead of being articulated. Lafontaine just listened until they were sure Carmilla was done because never had they seen Carmilla so concerned or excited like this. In fact, they had never seen her concerned or excited over anything before that wasn't music. It was quite frightening to see anything on her face that wasn't nothing.  
"So, to reiterate, Laura's seat was given away and unless you drive 8 hours to Toronto, it'll be 3 months before you two can meet if she can afford the plane ticket again? Did I get that?" They shrugged awkwardly, stuffing a hand in their pocket.  
"Hit the nail right on the head, Doc." Carmilla nodded.  
Lafontaine sighed, feeling awful about the situation their friend and her frothy girlfriend are in. "Have you forgotten about the concert you planned for Laura tonight? The one you sing lead in and I play in?"  
"No! That's why I'm here, Laf!" She frowned, plopping to the ground and crossing her legs. "We can't cancel this concert. I don't want to cancel. But I want to be with Laura. I need to go get her. I just don't know how to do that. I need your help."  
"What can I do? It's not like I can just drive to Toronto and leave the rest of you to run the gig!" Laf scoffed, imagining the show tanking majorly without them. "That's not happening."  
...........  
"ARE YOU INSANE?"  
"Laf, think about it! You and Perry go grab the cupcake while the rest of us play the show! Danny runs the backstage. We put J.P on bass and Betty on keys. We'll still have 4 background singers and plenty of vocals to keep us level. It can work!"  
"I am not leaving this production in the hands of a bunch of intermediate level bandmates while I'm not even in the country! Absolutely-!"  
"Lafontaine, please!" Carmilla shifted back to her feet, eyeing them with everything she hoped was pleading. "I love her. I need her. Do you understand? For Laura, I will slay a god if I have to. Please, Laf? I will get on my knees and beg. Is that what you want?"  
"Don't do that. Nobody wants to see that. Have some dignity." Laf instantly got nervous over again at the thought of Carmilla groveling to them on her knees in desperation. It was gross. Carmilla had far too much self-respect. It's what Laf admired about her. That she would even consider lowering herself that way is exactly why they begrudgingly said. "Text me the address and I'll have Perry in the car and on the highway within the next hour."  
Pale arms wrapped around their neck and soft thanks were filling their ears quicker than they would've downed that bear claw. It was the most awkward moment they could remember experiencing, yet beautiful because it was the first hug they shared with her that wasn't in a group; so, they hugged her back. They savored that moment before it disappeared. Except now it was getting uncomfortable. Carmilla wouldn't let go.  
"Um, remember that text thread about personal boundaries?" They tried to pry themselves from her grip to no avail.  
"There were cobwebs." She squeezed them on last time before letting go, a new glow in her eyes.  
"You owe me, Karnstein."  
********  
Laura hadn't heard from Carmilla after their conversation earlier that day. There were brief interactions on Twitter, but nothing substantial. She thought maybe Carmilla just preferred music and the open road on such a long expedition, no interruptions from the outside world on her quest. At hour 3 without a word, she ate lunch with her father and cuddled to Princess and the Frog to distract her clearly frustrated mind. By hour 4, her father had to practically force her head forward to focus on the movie before he resolved to duct tape and bandages. It only worked until hour 5 when she balled into her father's lap because she feared Carmilla flaking on her. And that is when he restrained himself from loading the car with industrial sized bear spray and taking his own trip to the Big Apple. Eventually the fatigue from all the crying took over both father and child, and they passed out on the couch in each other's arms.  
********  
Broody: Laf, where are you?! Have you made it yet?  
Geek: Are all lesbians this pushy!  
Broody: I'm pansexual you nonbinary gecko!  
Geek: Was that supposed to be an insult? I would like to see that on a T-shirt. Green on black to match my suspenders  
Broody: LAF!  
Geek: Cool it Fangless! The mission continues as given! Now go away! You're distracting my usually hectic and unfocused driving.  
Broody: Hello Perrstein Bear  
Geek: Hello Carmilla! And goodbye. Go practice. Or clean behind your ears. Both. Do both.  
*********  
Carmilla spent 95% of her day panicking. Panicking over not being the one to go get Laura. Panicking because Laura lost her flight in the first place. Panicking over asking Lafontaine and Perry to be the ones to go. Panicking because Perry and Lafontaine were the only ones she trusted to go. Panicking over the concert that was supposed to be a partial gift to her girlfriend but said girlfriend might miss it. Over replacing Laf and Perry with Armitage and Spielsdorf. Over the entire travesty this day had become. And it gets worse. Because who of all people comes onto campus today? After how long, who decides to show up? Matska Belmonte. All she could do is groan in agony.  
Why?  
"Is that your sister? The sister that made her millions and spends it and most of her time in Milan?" Danny approached from backstage.  
Did she forget another reason to panic- and grimace? She was stuck alone with Lawrence and her big mouth.  
"She invests." She grunted.  
"Of course, she does." Danny scoffed, not hiding the fun she was having at Carmilla's expense. "Your mic was on by the way."  
What? That echo wasn't just a reverberance of her inner thoughts hurling themselves against her cranium? Great.  
"Is that any way to greet the eldest?" Mattie came strolling around the concrete, because why would anyone want to walk through grass in Louis Vuitton?  
"Would you rather I roll out the red carpet?" Carmilla snarked. Or a piano.  
"A hug would do just fine, darling." Mattie wrapped her arms around her sister. "Careful. This dress is silk."  
Carmilla loved her sister. Really. But sometimes she was a big designer pain in the ass. She hadn't seen her since the incident between their mother and Ell. Mattie had come in to bail their mother out of prison. She hadn't even known what exactly the crime was until she was forking over $15,000 like it was chump change in exchange for her very irate mother who complained about false allegations the very second she stepped past the bars of her holding cell. Of course, Mattie was easy to take her mother's side, willing to do what she could to prove her innocence. That is until she learned of Ell and her mother's sexcapades and the money they'd stolen- not only from the university, but one of the biggest businesses sponsoring the school: the Corvae Corporation. Even then, it took the verbal proof of her younger sister to withdraw Mattie from the situation. One thing Mattie had always been was loyal. No matter the reason.  
"What are you doing here? Don't you and your Malaysian silk have a meeting in France or something?" She questioned, adhering to her sister's warning of the overly expensive fabric she'd chosen to grace over her rose petal and black cherry bathed skin.  
"It does no one good to pester, does it, Mircalla? I can't decide to take time out of my busy schedule to visit my favorite little sister?" Mattie sighed. "Japan can wait."  
"I'm your only little sister." Carmilla scoffed, pulling away and folding her arms knowingly. "How lonely are you?"  
"Extremely." The older of the two dropped the act. "You never want to travel anymore. Education aside, you just...you're so idle!"  
"Maybe I have something better here, Mattie. Did you think of that?" The brunette shrugged.  
"Who is she?"  
"Who?"  
"She who. The something better. That she who." Mattie giggled. "You do not fool me, kitty cat. You and I both know that you are far more eccentric when there are people around you. Especially a nice young girl just sliding out of her lingerie."  
Just the way Mattie made it sound made her skin itch. Not just because it was vulgar, but because it as an unfortunate truth. When she thought of something better, she thought of Laura. Laura would not be a part of her vulgar, unfortunate truth.  
"Blame it on my mommy issues. Maman was too busy screwing my girlfriend to give a damn about me. The same for the long list of babysitters she paid after someone left for the family riches the moment they could park their own Ferrari."  
"It was a Porsche, thank you." Mattie actually looked offended, genuinely hurt at the lack of memory for the first car she managed not to crash into the neighbor's tree. "That's not what I asked for. I want the name of the girl who's got your nose so wide open."  
It was so like Mattie to want the information on Carmilla's love life. She always was that big sister. The big sister who willingly participated I her sister's dating life for the sole purpose of identifying the newest object of the eye and scaring the shit out of them with threats of decapitation. It was one of the only things the two women bonded over in their youth. Carmilla would come home upset and confused because she didn't know how to handle her feelings, and Mattie would take her into her room and give her advice as her nails dried; and Carmilla would get away with a snack before dinner since these were such 'dire' situations for a young girl. She wasn't so stuck up in those moments of sisterhood and a budding friendship. Mattie was the first person Carmilla came out to, and she made sure to hug Carmilla close and let her know she could never love her less. It hurt her when Mattie left. She missed her.  
Maybe that's why it grew increasingly hard to not talk about Laura as the seconds passed. It wouldn't take pulling her teeth to make her talk, just to make her stop. This was Mattie. Annoying, pestering, Louis Vuitton wearing Mattie. Mattie who gave more of a damn about her next vacation than anything else, except this. Never this. Never her.  
Unable to refrain the smile pushing in behind her folded arms and indifference, Carmilla blew out a sigh and gave Mattie a look that so clearly took her back to middle school. "Her name is Laura..."  
********  
Laura moaned, stretching her arms as a bump woke her. Her hands hit stuffed animals and pillows on her reach, leaving her to the conclusion that her father had carried her up to her room to continue her slumber while he stretched out on the recliner to watch Andy Griffith reruns. So, when she heard a bump in the middle of her sleep, she naturally assumed her father had dropped another cup of joe...or fallen out of his chair again. Either way, she pushed herself off the bed and made her way downstairs. Her father had indeed fallen out of the recliner, dripping the leftover contents of his mug onto his face as it lay tipped in his hands; but he couldn't have been the reason behind the noise, evidence of already drying coffee stains on his shirt. So, what the heck did she hear?  
Two knocks at the door made her jump. Her father leaping up from his carpet nap with his hidden firearm in hand made her yelp. And his incoherent scream of challenge as he fumbled to get his pocket sized can of bear spray nearly made her do both.  
Her heart hammered away in her chest while her feet were too cold to take a step. She had been waiting all day for this. The knock on the door could only mean that Carmilla had finally arrived...or the local bread maker was making a trip through the neighborhood. Laura thought he was a myth since she always seemed to miss his arrival and only got to see Sherman coddling a loaf of fresh bread. Besides, who's to say the bread maker couldn't be a woman? Or preferred to be called The Bread Maker and nothing more.  
"Do you want me to get that?" Her father asked, wiping coffee drippings off his nose, pistol at the ready.  
"No! You might scare her! Put that thing away!" Laura swatted at him from where she stood, edging toward the door with an outstretched hand.  
"What if, by chance, it isn't her, Laura?" He put the weapon back in its hiding place.  
"Then it better be bread." She quipped, hand finally reaching the cold metal. With fear in her heart, she turned and pulled the door open. As soon as she laid eyes on who was standing before her, she wanted to slam it shut again. "You better be baking bread."  
Two redheads, one with an awkward, crooked smile and the other far to perky for Laura's liking right now, stood across the threshold. Both had twigs and sticks poking out of their hair and a tear or two in their clothing. Not too worse for wear, but a suspicious bunch, nonetheless.  
Sherman cleared his throat at his daughter, visually disapproving of her manners. Because it was totally polite to wave a weapon at unsuspecting guests. Come on in! Shells for everybody! No? How about some bear spray?  
"I mean...can I help you?" Laura tried to be polite, but it was hard to be nice when her heart felt like taking a hike.  
"Laura Hollis?" The shorter of the two spoke up.  
"Yes?" She replied, hearing her father shuffle forward, probably preparing to grab her and protect their home as if it was the final fortress in the battle of good versus evil.  
"Brownie?" The perky one offered her a plate covered in plastic wrap.  
"Sorry, I’”  
“DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, YOUNG LADY!" Sherman was now, somehow, right behind her, leaning over her shoulder to point accusingly at the confections she was offered.  
"- can't accept food from strangers." She rubbed on her left ear, giving the two people at her door an apologetic smile.  
"Carmilla sent us." Again, the shorter one spoke.  
There was a flutter somewhere between her chest and her stomach. Or was it her esophagus? OR was it her esophagus and it just moved down to her chest and settled in her stomach? Did that make any sense? Was that possible? She didn't know, but just the very knowledge that Carmilla was involved was enough to make everything feel again. If someone poked her right now, she would probably lose sensation in her right leg. With no words, she stepped aside for them to come in before she allowed her internal response to wash her away from the present.  
It was only once she was able to focus on more than just stray twigs, which her father started picking out right away like this was an episode of Tarzan and Jane, that she recognized them from one of Carmilla's photos of the band.  
"Hey, you're both in Carm's band. And, you were there the first night we talked online!" Laura tried to think of their names, remembering quickly that her girlfriend never bothered to put faces with names. "The...Ginger Twins!"  
Both gingies gave each other a side glance, obviously disagreeing on the resemblance, but appreciating the differencing view. The shorter one, the most verbal, took a step forward with an outstretched hand that Laura absentmindedly took.  
"S. Lafontaine, but everyone just calls me Lafontaine, or Laf." They gave her hand a quick shake before threading their fingers around their suspenders. "Nonbinary gecko. They/them pronouns only."  
"Lola Perry...girlfriend of the gecko. Oh, please call me Perry. She/her pronouns. Pleasure to meet you nice, clean Laura Hollis." Just as fast as Lafontaine stepped away, Perry had come forward. Did they practice? "Now that we've been properly introduced...brownie?"  
"Uh...sure?" She hesitantly pulled one of the delectable desserts from under the plastic wrap. AT least she could put names and faces together with Carmilla's descriptions. Lafontaine and Perry: the weirdest dynamic a Karnstein could ever see. Both opting to go by their last names as opposed to their first, they finally started dating after what Carmilla said had been years of denial. Who could be that oblivious that someone liked them after such a long friendship? "So, why are you here again?"  
"For you." Perry replied, taking a seat on the sofa once prompted by Sherman, who sneakily grabbed two brownies from the plate.  
"What?" Laura nearly choked on a chocolate candy.  
"Carmilla sent us here to get you; and, we're on a bit of a tight schedule, so you have 20 minutes to freak out, pack the car, and say your goodbyes if you want to get back to your lady in leather." Laf checked their watch for certainty, planting themselves next to Perry. "Do you want to keep sitting here asking us questions, or would you rather see your girlfriend?"  
"...Yes."  
*15 minutes later*  
"I-. I-. Laura, I'm not sure about this."  
"Dad, you heard them. They're here for Carmilla." Laura rolled her suitcase across the threshold and out to Laf's car with her father following behind with his hands full of things she had forced into them while he continued to stress about the hazards of this expedition. As soon as she was in hearing range of the scientific friend of whom was just tapping their watch, she turned her attention to them. "So, why didn't Carm just come for me herself? She said she would. That was the plan. Not that I'm not grateful..."  
“No worries, Frosh. Your girl toy had other responsibilities- “  
“We all did.” Perry interjected, taking Laura’s backpack from Sherman and placing it in the backseat next to a few pillows and blankets and continued to distract him with instructions on making a stronger and safer face mask to protect from the fumes of his bear spray concoctions.  
“-Responsibilities that hindered her ability to drive 8 hours and fulfill them simultaneously. However, Perry and I had enough flexibility to help her with Project Kidnap the Cupcake…Creampuff…Other Edible Things in time to get you in her presence before your, um, gift.”  
“And, yes, that really is the project name for us coming to get you.” Perry jumped in once more.  
“I still think it’s a little odd for a father to send his daughter out of the country with two redheaded ladies- and not ladies- even she doesn’t know.” Sherman pouted next to the open back door, waiting for Laura to be done. “Codswallop if you ask me. But you didn’t.”  
Laura had to give her father credit. All her life he was intent on keeping her safe by any means necessary, including dusting her bedroom closet twice a day in her youth to prevent spiders or kidnappers- because no one would hide in a little girl’s closet with a father like Sherman P. Hollis. He could’ve easily gone back on letting her go and fireman carried her back inside like the papa bear he was, but he didn’t, showing restraint and growth behind his pouting, muttering, and general discomfort.   
“I will be okay, Dad. Lafontaine and Perry are Carmilla’s closest friends. They’re not dangerous!” Laura took his hand.  
“Well, there was that one time they burned down the science lab…”  
“That incident with the exploding test rat heads…”  
“The chemical spill of 2016…”  
“WHAT? Laura-!”  
“DAD, I’m not wearing a biohazard suit again!” Laura snatched her hand away in frustration. “They won’t hurt me!”   
“How do we know? If you go, I can’t protect you from-!”  
“Oh, gosh! Dad, in the course of my lifetime you have protected me from polyester- “  
“They have those carcinogens! They leech into your skin!”  
“Swimming holes- “  
“The amoeba that eats your brain!”  
“And my class trip to Clownville?”  
“That place is a cultural Chernobyl!” He wagged a finger at his kid. “We’re not talking about you eating cotton candy for dinner- which you definitely should never do! We’re talking about you crawling into a car with 2 strangers to leave the country for your girlfriend! One of which is a literal explosion waiting to happen!”  
“Again.” Perry shrugged.  
“Dad! If I don’t go now, I may never get the chance to see her again! Trust me. I know how to protect myself. You made sure of it. I’ll be fine. It’s why you’re going to let me go.” She smiled at her father reassuringly. “And you know that I’m right.”  
He frowned, not wanting to accept her leaving his safe haven for a ride with strangers to meet yet another stranger. That goes against everything he ever was as a parent! But Carmilla was no ordinary stranger. She knew Laura’s heart and Laura knew hers. In a way, she really wasn’t much of a stranger at all. Not to his daughter. As much as he hated to admit it, Laura was right. She didn’t need him for this.  
Putting aside his fear, he pulled her close, kissed her forehead, and held open the door for her to get into the car. Closing it behind her, he leaned into through the window. “Remember what I told you when you came out?”  
“’Thank God you finally said it’?” Laura fiddled with her seatbelt before it finally decided to lock in. She should be used to him reminding her about that moment. Maybe it was just as important to him as it was for her.  
“No, the other thing.” Sherman chuckled at his daughter. His beautiful, beautiful baby girl.  
Laura blushed. “‘You better find a girl who deserves you’.”  
“Yeah.” He stroked her cheek one last time before he stepped away from the car. “You did good, kid. Now, you be safe and let me know the second you’re there. I am so…so very proud of you. And I love you so much, sweetie.”  
“I love you too, Dad.” Her window went up as she waved goodbye to her father for the first time in her entire life knowing it’ll be a long time before she returns. A stray tear rolled down her cheek as she watched him grow smaller and smaller behind her, the biggest man in her world.  
********  
Broody: Hey, have you made it yet?

Broody: Is she with you?

Broody: LAF!

Geek: What happened to your ‘no double texting’ rule…

Broody: IS

Broody: SHE

Broody: WITH

Broody: YOU?!?!

Geek: That is a serious violation.

Geek: Consider yourself on probation.

Geek: No replies for 20 minutes.

Geek: Take this time to distract your whipped brain from all things Hollis.

Broody: TELL ME OR I WILL BREAK INTO YOUR LAB AND SMASH IT TO BITS!!!!

Geek: You’re testy when you’re dating.

Geek: Fine! The Cupcake has been retrieved. She’s with Perry getting road trip snacks while I pump gas.

Broody: How does she look?

Geek: Human?

Broody: So, she’s real then?

Geek: Right down to the lingo. According to her and Perry, I’m a “Secret Slytherin” or whatever

Carmilla took a deep breath, putting her phone to her ear, waiting for Laf to answer.  
“Any reason this couldn’t be a text message?” They answered.  
“Is she there yet?” Carmilla ignored them.  
“So, yes, then…” They sighed, putting the nozzle back in place. “She’s still with Perry. Is there any particular reason you’ve been avoiding her? She hasn’t heard from you since this morning.”  
“Your replacement, that’s why. I’ve been running around making sure the set sounds good tonight. I’ve barely had a chance to- “Carmilla snatched her earplugs out when a screech made her ear ring. “I need to go shred some heads. How long do you have?”  
“We won’t make it back to campus until around midnight.” Laf calculated, knowing Carmilla didn’t like that at all. “She can crash with us if you’ll be too tired to- “  
“No, I’ll be awake.” She would take that over nothing. “If we’re not on the lawn, just bring her to my place. I won’t wait until tomorrow.”  
“Roger that. Go get ready. We can handle this.” Laf hung up, trying to plan a way to speed without Perry snatching their ear.  
They sat in the driver’s side checking their mirrors as Perry and Laura came back with two bags filled with snacks and four Styrofoam cups. They were laughing about something, but Lafontaine didn’t bother trying to make out what it was. After they got in, the laughing had calmed to humored smiles.  
“Did you two not have enough to buy out the entire store?” They joked, putting on their seatbelt.  
“It’s a long drive and we ate all the brownies.” Laura giggled.  
“Exactly. I got you a coffee and some of your favorite road snacks.” Perry put the cups in the cupholders as Laf pulled out onto the road for the continuation of their ride.  
“Chocolate coated pecans?” They lit up.  
“Honey roasted.” Perry held up the packaging.  
“I knew I kept you around for a reason.” They took her hand.  
“Weirdo.”  
“Control-freak.”  
Laf had expected a game of twenty questions; maybe even the ever-popular curiosity of if they were yet at their destination every ten minutes. But as the sun began to drift away to make room for its less than intimidating partner, Laf was clinging to the wheel with the most bored expression they’d ever made while their girlfriend and their best friend’s reason for this rescue mission belted Taylor Swift’s Hottest Albums for 3 hours straight.   
They were okay with Love Story and even 22; and We Are Never Getting Back Together was undoubtedly a bop no matter how it burned to admit it. But once Back to December and Clean began to play, they wished for a pair of earplugs. Not that it was bad music! That was just it. Taylor Swift was for people like Laura Hollis. People who can listen to emotional pop music about lost loves and heartbreak and teardrops on guitars. Laf’s taste was more of podcasts or My Chemical Romance. At least they made them think science.  
Taylor Swift made them think of 13-year-old Lafontaine trying to relate to all their friends that cared more about what color polish to put on their toes than literally anything else; except Perry- who baked cookies to avoid her feet being touched. Taylor Swift needed to be the last thing stuck in their head.  
“OH, MY HERMIONE! DISNEY SOUNDTRACKS!”  
Okay…Disney is everybody’s thing.  
*******  
Carmilla picked up her phone after hours of helping Danny and the others. They were a good distraction from waiting on Laf to get back with Laura, but she wanted to kill them all and put on a one woman show until the cops came for her. Mattie’s visit was more rewarding than this. At least she got to talk about Laura to someone who didn’t tease her for having feelings like a certain beanstalk. And at least Mattie left.

Girlfriend: Hey there, cutie. I know I’m been MIA. A lot of work to do. The show is gonna start soon. I just wanted to check in first. Enjoy the ride. I’ll see you soon. I’m sorry it couldn’t be me to come get you.

She placed the phone on her counter, at home to shower and get dressed. She got in the shower as soon as she got home, needing the steam to relax her. Her outfit was on, tie tied, and hair brushed. She was just checking herself out in the mirror, ready to head back.

Cupcake: It’s okay. At least you have great friends that I love you enough to drive all this way.

Cupcake: We’re halfway there. Enjoy your show!

Cupcake: I can’t wait to see you!

********  
“MSM IN NYC! WE ARE AUV!”  
“ASZ! ACADEMICS SUCK ZEROS!”  
“Hell yeah!”  
It took a lot for Carmilla to go out on stage and act like everything was alright. Everything was shit. Her bandmates were miles out with her girlfriend, trying to get her back here as soon as they possibly could because she asked them to. She spent her day stressed out and sweaty. Danny Lawrence of all people became somewhat of a comfort compared to a few of their bandmates that replaced Perry and Laf, even if she still made Carmilla want to bash her head in with a mic stand. The music was all she had left. Hopefully that- and an idea she and Lawrence devised- would help her.  
It seemed to do the trick a few songs into the set. Being onstage felt therapeutic, like medicine without the aftertaste. Letting herself be absorbed in the beat of the drums, the vibration of the bass, the words of every melody, felt more unreal than it ever had before. The power of music.  
*********  
“Hey, Frosh, watch this.” Laf passed their phone back to Laura.  
“What is it?” She asked.  
“Your surprise.” They smiled.  
And if they had never seen a bigger smile from anyone from the review mirror, they had yet to live.  
**********  
“So, here in the front row, we have a camera, as per usual at an AUV show. But, tonight, that camera is recording live to all social media platforms. Two special gingers have been watching so far in complete silence on their way here from Canada; our very own Laf and Perry. And they should be playing the sound right about now. They are currently bringing something back for me. You see, ass nuggets, my girlfriend, Laura, was supposed to fly in today and join you all in the crowd; but we hit a snag and she couldn’t make it.” Carmilla wiped sweat off her face and took a swing of water.   
“So, I wanted to go get her myself, but it is a shit long drive and I wouldn’t be here tonight if I went. I had to be here to give you lovely fuck turds the gift of my sweet vocal cords.”  
The crowd cheered and clapped at that, getting a laugh from the vocalist.  
“So, because I couldn’t go get my tiny, little Cupcake, I sent the Bobbsey twins to get my girl. Tonight’s concert…this part of tonight was supposed to be a gift for Laura, but she won’t make it in time. BUT! She is watching. Do me a favor, all you beautiful peepholes, show the cupcake some love.”  
A boom of roaring voices, clapping hands, and ringing bells erupted as the camera panned the crowd before landing on Carmilla again.  
“Hey there, Cupcake.” She winked before addressing her fans again as Danny placed her guitar over her head. “Laura is pretty fuckin’ special to me, and I love her so damn much. So, this goes out to my Laura.”  
Laura’s eyes weld up with tears as she watched Carmilla, full of so much emotion, play Joe Satriani in dedication to her. A song, a show, dedicated to Laura, and Carmilla just exposed her love for her live in front of thousands both in person and online. It was beautiful. The best gift she could ever receive. How did she get so lucky?  
Perry handed her a tissue as the song ended.  
“I love you, cutie. I’ll see you in a few hours.” Carm smiled at the camera. The ‘aw’ she received from the crowd made her cringe. “Alright, assholes, let’s keep this thing going! Shall we?”  
Perry set up Laf’s phone on the dashboard so they could watch the remainder of the show together. They rocked along, sang along, and appreciated how well the set was going without them. When she went to ask how Laura was enjoying it during one of the ballads, she found that the blonde had fallen asleep to the sound of Carmilla’s voice, a tiny smile on the corner of her lips.  
“I think she is going to be so good for Carmilla. I can feel it.” She said to Laf, turning off the livestream so as to not wake Laura once the ballad was over.  
“I think she already has.” They grinned.  
*********  
Carmilla sat on the empty stage in front of th empty lawn. The concert was over, and the people were gone; even the drunks had tripped their ways to their next destinations. It was just over and her emotions once again. She sat in them for a moment, the rush from performing long gone. All she wanted was Laura. Taking one deep breath, she pushed herself up and made her way home. After another shower and a change of clothes, she waited.   
*********  
“Hey…Frosh, wake up.” Laf shook Laura’s arm until she jolted awake. The look on her face was priceless. The look on Perry’s face at them choosing to lean back themselves rather than ask her was terrifyingly adorable. “We’re here.”  
“Carm?” Laura stretched with a sleepy, sing-song voice that made Laf think of Perry after they spend hours on an experiment while she bakes snacks to keep them going.  
“Not yet, sweetie.” Perry handed her a bottle of water. “We just didn’t want you to miss the cityscape.”   
As Laura sat up and cleared her eyes of sleep, they were blown away at the sight before them. Buildings taller than any she had ever seen with lights exposing darkness in such a large vicinity that they were blinding Laura and she wasn’t even near them. Movies do not do this place justice. She’s heard of New York in one way or the other her entire life and yet the sight of it now was more than she thought it could be.  
“Holy Helga Hufflepuff! This-. Friends with Benefits did not prepare me for this! Don’t tell my dad I said that!” She pressed herself between Laf and Perry until her nose was nearly flush against the windshield. “He would kill me if he saw me like this!”  
Perry wanted to list the many laws Laura was probably breaking, 3 off the top of her head; but she let it go because this was adorable. Not just the way Laura’s eyes changed to that of a child’s, the entire situation was adorable. It was romantic. It was unimaginable. If she couldn’t see Laf whenever she wanted, she probably would be inconsolable on multiple occasions. Then again, the excitement- knowing in just a matter of time they would reunite- it would be overwhelming.  
She would count down the days wherever she could. Download countdown clock apps. Add the countdown to every alarm so she had something to smile about every morning. Buy a wall-sized dry erase/calendar combination board and X out the days. Freak out on social media until she was in their arms; even after that. Every day she would hold on to the hope and excitement of being in Laf’s arms. To hold their hand. To engrave the feeling of their heart beating beneath her hand in her memory forever. Hold on to their voice. The softness of their skin. Laugh at their stupid, little random midnight experiments. Never wanting to let go.  
Eventually, Laura settled back into her seat again, looking through her window at the incoming lights. She looked so baffled, like she was getting to touch the world for the first time. Not her world, but the world that leads to hers. As she lay there enjoying this new sight, her eyes slid shut and she was asleep once again.  
********  
She finished her cup of tea, resisting the urge to text Laf again. She could do this. She could wait for Laura without bombing Lafontaine’s message box. She just wanted Laura to be here already. She wanted to be Carmilla and Laura instead of just Laura…Carmilla.  
Her phone buzzed, and in comes a text from Laf. They sent her a photo of a sleeping Laura with a hand supporting her head while it rested against the backseat window. She looked so beautiful, so youthful and innocent. She was perfect. And there became her new lock screen.  
The time on her phone was pushing 1:15. The traffic getting back into the city was probably a nightmare. The city that never sleeps does not exclude highways.  
It was getting harder to stay patient. Her fingers were constantly clenching. Her palms were damp. She was pacing in every room she stepped into. Instead of uniting with her girlfriend, she was becoming her. Maybe doing something that felt like her would fix this…whatever this is. So, she sat on the couch and turned on a murder mystery. At the first sight of blood, she felt better.  
*********  
The car came to a stop, the engine shut off, and Laf removed their seatbelt. Once the seatbelt snapped back in place, Laura jolted awake with an audible gasp, eyes darting in every direction. It was pretty funny to see.  
“Aw, man! I missed the rest of the lights.” She pouted at the sight of simple streetlamps and stray lights from open windows.   
“You saw most of what there was to see, hun. You’ll have plenty of nights to view them all.” Perry soothed her with a pat on her knee.  
Laf turned in their seat, grinning sleepily at Laura. “Why don’t you look at where you are…”  
There were streetlamps, clearly. A few buildings with bike racks and a ton of sidewalks. A lot of grass and a huge fountain in the center. Oh! A big stage right…at the…end…  
“Are we? Is she-? Did we make it?” Laura was stumbling to get out, nearly forgetting to take off her seatbelt. She pulled mints out of her pocket and stuffed two into her mouth. “Carm! Where is Carm?”  
“Breathe, Frosh! She has no clue that you’re here yet. I thought it would be fun to…surprise her.” Laf proudly tugged on their suspender straps.  
“Surprise her how?” Laura’s eyes lit up.  
“You are going to be a test tube of fun.”  
********  
Carmilla turned off the TV with a big grunt, quickly bored out of her mind. All she wanted was Laura. Going to her bedroom, she double checked that everything looked perfect. The string lights. The beds were made. Clothes put away neatly with space for Laura’s things so she wouldn’t have to live out of her suitcases for 3 months. Laura’s favorite snacks and flowers in water. Everything looked good. She was just missing…Laura.  
She heard a key turning and the door beginning to open. She darted into the hallway, slowing her pace when she only saw Lafontaine at the door with a solemn look on their face. No Perry. No suitcases. No Laura.  
“Where is she?” Carmilla frowned, fear piercing her heart.  
“I…um, well, we stopped to get food and, well- “  
“What?”  
“Her father followed us. Apparently, he had been trying to contact her for hours and she ignored him; so, he tracked her down by a chip in her phone. And, um, he took her. He took her back to Toronto. He was just so scared, Carmilla.” They fiddled with their fingers, eyes on the carpet. “I’m so sorry.”  
Carmilla’s heart dropped to her stomach. “S-she’s gone?”  
“Yeah…But! She left a bag behind. It was in my backseat, has her ID in it. So, Perry and I figure you can take it back tomorrow. That way you can get to hopefully see her.” They actually looked a little hopeful. “You know, if her overly protective, bear spray carrying father doesn’t intercept you.”  
“Where’s the bag?” Carmilla turned away, fingers pinching her nose as she tried to calm herself before she cried in front of them.  
“Perry’s bringing it from the car. She wanted to triple check that she didn’t leave anything else.” Laf replied.  
Carmilla took a seat on the couch, focusing on breathing instead of punching a hole in her wall over and over again. Laura wasn’t coming. All she went through, all they went through, to be together and it was to no avail. She was gone. She wasn’t coming.  
“Thanks for, uh, trying, Laf. How much do I owe you for-?”  
“Um, I have it but it’s heavier than it looks.” Perry’s head came peeping through the now cracked door.  
“Just pull it in and leave it by the door. I’ll take care of it.” Carmilla snarled, needing to stand again. Sitting was uncomfortable, there wasn’t enough air down there. It hurt to look at the hard work she put on her bedroom, and it was embarrassing to look at her friends, so she kept her eyes closed and faced away.  
“Can you help me?” Perry pleaded.  
She sighed deeply. They just couldn’t make this easy. This entire day was starting to weigh on her. She would rather have stayed in bed and ignored the world today. Today sucked.  
“Fine.” She turned and reached out, taking a step forward to lend a hand.   
Perry came in pulling the bag inside attached to a red-faced blonde that looked a lot like-.  
“Laura?”  
“Surprise?” There it was. Her voice. Like bells in the wind.  
Two strides forward and she had Laura Hollis in her arms. Honey blonde hair against her cheek. The scent of a long day’s drive and rosemary. She was here. She was real. She made it.  
She looked at Lafontaine and Perry with gratitude and love.  
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” She whispered repeatedly.  
“Carm, you’re crying.” Laura mumbled against her chest. “Is it because of me?”  
“Oh, Laura,” Carmilla chuckled, releasing Laura to look at her face, that gorgeous face. Those big eyes. That adorable nose. That tiny smile. “Because of you.”  
A hand cupping her chin, she kissed Laura as if it were the last thing she would ever do. Because if it was the last thing she would ever do, she would kiss Laura until the life left her body and she began to see the light. For as long as she lived, she would never stop kissing Laura.  
“Maybe we should give them some time alone.” Perry suggested, pulling the rest of Laura’s luggage inside.  
“And miss this?” Laf started to pull out their phone for video proof that Carmilla Karnstein has emotions.  
With a roll of her eyes, Perry grabbed her partner by the ear and dragged them out of the door. “Our work here is done. I’m tired and I WANT TO GO HOME!”  
………..  
Carm leaped into bed next to Laura. It was almost 3 in the morning, but she could stay up and look at Laura forever. “So, how are you liking Casa de Karnstein so far?”  
“Well, the flowers are beautiful. I love lilies.”  
“I know. I remember.” Carm grinned, watching Laura’s face blush and her eyes look anywhere that wasn’t Carmilla because ‘her eyes were intimidating’.  
“And the snacks are…going to be gone by the weekend.”  
“Expected.”  
“But I quite love the nice lady that brought in my luggage, even if she did forget the mint on my pillow.” Laura giggled softly, astonished at how easily she felt comfortable with Carmilla. It was like she was meant to be here. With her.   
“The nice lady is the mint on your pillow.” Carm smiled, another kiss on Laura’s lips. “Are you ready for bed? You comfy?”  
“Very.” Laura beamed, rolling over to face Carm. “Best I’ve felt my entire life.”  
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell your dad.”  
Carmilla turned out the lights, keeping the string lights lit with a switch. Her arms wrapped around Laura as she cradled up against her chest. She pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, grateful to have the opportunity.  
“Goodnight, cupcake. I- “She bit her lip, struggling to decide if now was the right time to say the words in person. It felt very cliché, almost too soon to say in her presence. “Goodnight.”  
“Goodnight, Carm.” Laura listened to the buzz of her heart, intertwining their hands together. “I love you too.”  
Her heart skipped, making the blonde laugh silently. She lost any desire to think of perfect timing ever again. She’d scream it from the roof tops anytime. It was no different than any other time. She loved this girl. All the time.  
“I love you too.”  
Today was a good day.

The End.


End file.
